All Year Specials
by BloodStainsOnMyKisses
Summary: Updated every month, for every universal occasion. Already up: NYE, Valentines, Easter, April Fools, Mothers' Day, Father's Day
1. New Years Eve

**NYE Special**

**BloodStainsOnMyKisses**

* * *

_**Characters:**_** Allen, Lavi, Lenalee, Daisya, Kanda, Nola (OC) – main **Laven, Dai-lena, KxOC

**... Marie, Miranda, , Alma, Travis (OC) – subs**, MarieMiranda, Fem!AlmaxOC

**...,Suman, Emilia, Link, ****Tiedoll, ****Suman's Wife and daughter, (OCs), Komui – millisecond scenes**

_**Setting: **_**AU, London, England – 2012**

* * *

_NYE Special_

"HAPPY NEW YEARS, BABY!" Lavi yelled into Allen's ear early that morning.

"Ugh, Lavi, don't call me baby. It's disgusting." The white haired boy told him, rubbing his abused ear melodramatically.

"Happy New Years, Allen," he repeated, sincerely.

Allen smiled, and then got out of bed, changing for the big day of planning ahead of them.

After all, they couldn't just ditch their friend on her birthday, right?

* * *

"NOLA!" Kanda yelled into his girlfriend's room as he came in early that morning.

"What?" The green-eyed beauty snapped, exiting her bathroom with a towel rubbing at her wet head.

"Come 'ere." He said. She put on a funny face, but shuffled towards him anyways, and he pulled her into his arms. "Happy Birthday," he whispered into her wet hair, towel discarded carelessly on the bed.

She smiled slightly, "I know you don't care—"

"Damn right—"

"—But thanks for pretending." She beamed.

"... Anytime," he said. She swatted his arm playfully as he moved away from her. She yanked him back towards her, arms snaking around his neck, pulling him close and leaning her face into his shoulder.

"I have to leave, Nola, I've got work," Kanda told the raven-haired girl almost impatiently, but wrapped his arms around her all the same. She mumbled a few words he didn't catch into his arm.

"What?"

"Stoic asshole," she repeated, lifting her head. He shot her a glare. "Bye! Take care! Come home soon!" She said, ushering him out of her house— he had stayed the night while her brother was at his boyfriend's apartment.

Shit, her brother. He would be coming around soon. At that moment and second, the home phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Nola, dahling! How ah you deah?" She heard an obnoxiously familiar voice say with an odd accent.

"Drop the accent Lavi. It's freaky." Nola told her older brother, the supposedly genius one of them.

"Happy Birthday, kiddo." Lavi said, and she could practically hear the smile in his voice. "How old is my little baby now? Oh, she's twenty!" He exclaimed, probably running around Allen's apartment in circles, waving a flag around, party poppers blowing up.

"... Lavi—"

"Yeah, BABY! My baby sister is TWENTY!"

Nola only hoped he wasn't yelling those words around the streets.

"...BOO YEAH!"

* * *

"Tiedoll? OLD MAN!" Kanda yelled into his home, the large mansion that he, Marie, Daisya, and Tiedoll shared.

After he had left the apartment Nola and her older brother lived in with their grandpa Bookman, he had made his way grudgingly straight to his childhood home, where his damned foster father had decided to throw a party for both Christmas and for two of his "children's" birthday parties: Moyashi's and Nola's. He had been forced by Marie to come and help decorate.

"OLD! MAN!" he yelled.

"Chill, Yuu. He's not here yet. He's getting the decos down at the mall." he heard an annoying and familiar voice from behind him.

"Don't call me that, Usagi." he mumbled.

Lavi scoffed. "How's she doing? Nola? You treating her well?"

"No." Kanda said sarcastically, "I am not treating your little sister well, and she is feeling absolutely terrible with me."

Lavi gave a soft smile, clapping Kanda's shoulder. "Thanks, man." Kanda only nodded.

"I'm home, my family!" a too-cheery voice exclaimed, accompanied with annoying singing: "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. TO. YOU~!"

"Stop it, old man, you're killing me." Kanda said, but not too rudely. Even though he would ask a lot of times for the old geezer to get off his nerves, he knew enough about respect to treat the man who raised him with care properly.

"Yuu-kun! You're early!" Froi Tiedoll exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around his foster-son. "Happy New Year's, my boy."

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Hey, Miranda! How are you?" Nola greeted through the phone as she munched on one of her brother's cookies. Bookman watched her from the corner of his eye as he read his letters. He noted she had stopped talking enough for the other to respond with a Happy Birthday.

Bookman only smiled slightly at remembering seeing his raven-haired granddaughter with her boyfriend Kanda this morning, knowing what they had planned for his granddaughter and grandson's boyfriend.

"Oh! Thank you, Miranda, sweet. Happy New Year! How's Marie? The baby?" she asked of her friend's husband and baby bump.

Bookman shook his head in his thoughts and reverted back towards his work. Bookmen didn't get holidays of any kinds.

"Oh, not a problem, Miranda. Yes, yeah. Alright sure – Umm... was that Kanda's voice?" Nola asked suspiciously as she heard her boyfriend's 'Lavi SHUT UP'

"Miranda?"

Shit, Kanda mouthed from the other side of the line as he heard Nola's words from where he stood beside Marie and Miranda. She cannot know. Lavi mouthed back.

"No, no, i-it wasn't Kanda. Daisya does tend to sound like Kanda over the phone."

"Oh. Okay. And what about Lavi? Could I talk to him?''

Shit.

"Yep. Yeah, sure. Hold on a sec." Miranda told her nervously, handing the phone to him because there would be no way she could cover this one up. After all, how many 'Lavi's' did people know?

"Hey sis!" Lavi said with faux cheerfulness as he glared at the birthday decoration in his hand.

"Lavi, how come you're at Tiedoll's?"

... Damn, Kanda sent a glare to the genius, telling him to hurry up the thinking.

"I'm not at Tiedoll's!"

"Lavi, I trust my caller ID more than I trust you. Puh-lease."

"Well, see the thing was that I was at Tiedoll's house at Halloween, 'cause, you know, they needed help decorating the house and all, and so they called me 'cause I'm such a genius. I … kinda got drunk and when I came home the old man called to ask if I was okay. Who was I to know it was from Miranda's phone? So, anyways I saved it as 'Tiedoll'. So, yeah."

Nola agreed to this excuse, only because she had no Goddamn clue to what he just said, as he was quick in talking.

"So, dear brother, where are you with Miranda and Daisya that you wouldn't bring me to, especially if it isn't at their home?"

Kanda had his shaking head in his hands. Let the senseless mastermind think of an excuse out of that one.

No way could that boy fool his younger sister. Not for his life.

"Ummm-"

"Nola? Hey!" A sudden voice came from the doorway, from where Allen, who had the spare key to the Bookman residence, had entered.

"Allen! Hey, come in!" Nola smiled, ignoring the words her sibling was saying over the phone frantically, "Allen is there? Did I ever tell that kid how much I love him?"— The group had told Allen to take the birthday girl out shopping, as all the malls had great discounts, not that Nola knew. To her, it was just Allen being the nicest person on the group.

"Retard, I have no time to convey your silly little love messages to your boyfriend. He's taking me shopping, so bye, call you later! Tell Miranda I said bye."

With that, the phone disconnected.

Phew.

* * *

It was two hours later that they finished the shopping that Allen had taken Nola to, as her birthday gift. So now, in return, Nola sat them both down at a nice café, insisting the meal was on her.

"Look at us," she snorted, "Abandoned by our friends and family on New Years."

"Hn," Allen agreed, his mouth full of blueberry cheesecake. Smiling, Nola took a bite of her own tiramisu– her breakfast. Kanda would have mocked her.

Kanda…

Lavi… everyone left.

Nola sighed. Some birthday.

* * *

"LAVI BOOKMAN JUNIOR YOU GET YOUR RETARDED BACKSIDE OVER HERE!" Lenalee Lee yelled over the commotion her said friend was making.

"AAH, Yuu's gonna KILL ME!"

This wasn't going so well.

They had managed to decorate most of the front lobby, as well as the two family halls. What remained to be adorned, though, was the main hall, and that was taking too much time. Because everybody had taken each room separately, there had been no disagreements on the ornaments. Now, as they all got together in the biggest area of the house, there was a big mess to match its size.

Miranda slumped on the sofa, exhausted. Marie sat beside her, just for the sheer fun of hearing the screams – without getting trampled on. Lavi and Kanda argued on the decorations. Lenalee and Daisya —the newest couple of the family— just sat there watching as the disagreement turned into a screaming match. Their time-limit was running low, and 30 minutes wasn't enough to sort out the big room.

Having seen enough, Lenalee picked out her phone, dialing a number of a person she entrusted all her secrets to, and the person who she knew would fix this entire problem.

"Hey, Alma? I need you to come over to Tiedoll's in 5. Think you can make it? Great. I have a feeling you might want to see this"

* * *

"Alma! Thank goodness! Come on, into the living room. Lavi and Kanda are having this huge, reckless, unnecessary fight about the decorations, Miranda was too tired to stay there so she and Marie are upstairs. Daisya is just being a pain up everyone's ass and screaming FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT at Kanda and Lavi and oh my God, Alma help me! Oh— who's this?"

"Oh. Yeah. This is my new boyfriend Travis. Travis, this is Lenalee. I grew up with her and went to school with her since third grade." Alma smiled. Her long brown hair complimented the big smile she put on.

"Okay, Lenalee, show me this mess."

* * *

"Hey, Emilia," a deep, soft voice sounded by her ear. She turned around from her comfortable position on the bed. "No, Howard, don't move," she whispered, not wanting to wake up.

Link chuckled in her ear, a sound she didn't get to hear often, as her fiancé was too busy being dogged around by his strict uncle, Leverrier.—(Okay guys. Let's face it. I randomly wrote down the word DOGGED. My phone didn't autocorrect it, so I'm guessing it's a real word. I apologize if it's not used properly).

"Come on, Em. Up with it."

Emilia groaned, stretching from her position, then climbing out if bed towards the large calendar in front of her side of the bed.

"It's New Years Eve. And Nola's birthday. We're invited to a party at Mr. Tiedoll's place in the next two hours," she announced.

"Hmm," Link replied.

* * *

"Hey, Yuu," Alma said quietly into the loud hall, and immediately the noise ceased.

"Alma," he greeted his ex with a curt nod, still holding Lavi's collar, but then let it go forcefully with a shove and an arrogant 'Che'. She never got used to that 'Che'.

"RABBIT!" Kanda yelled a moment later.

Hint: Never get boyfriend and brother together. Never.

**_~An hour later~ _**

"Kanda Yuu, get your fucking ass here right motherfucking now!" Alma yelled, livid.

Kanda dropped what he was holding— mainly, it was the Rabbit's neck.

"What?" He snapped.

"Help me with these decorations and stop strangling Lavi. Seriously. Now"

Kanda growled, but listened to the ex he had departed from only two months before. He knew he still had an effect on her, and her to him. He sighed at the thought. They both had new partners; why did that still happen? Was he still in love with Alma? He hoped not. Now he had Nola, who he figured out had been friend zoned for the past three months. He decided to try her out— not as a plaything or toy. He knew to treat her like the fragile human girl she was, and he grew to find himself appreciate that decision. It must have been the wisest decision he had made regarding his love life. He found himself liking Nola back, enjoying her.

And now it was her birthday.

He was over Alma. Plus, she had a boyfriend of her own. They weren't together anymore. He knew, though, he would always treat Alma like a friend.

"What?" He growled.

"Help me with these decorations?" She asked innocently. Kanda snatched the ribbons away from her, climbing the ladder to hang them up. He looked down at Alma with a raised eyebrow, silently questioning its position. As she told him the precise adjustments, neither realized the jealous figure leaning on the doorway, silently watching.

Suddenly, Kanda's phone erupted in noise,

_Ring, Ring._

_ Ring, Ring. _

Nola.

"Everybody SHUT UP!" Kanda yelled into the house. Everything turned silent. Then reverting to a normal voice, "Hello?"

"Kanda, where are you?" Nola's voice echoed throughout the room. Kanda moved the phone a few inches away from his face—he had gotten a new touch-screen BB and was still not used to it. He had answered it through speakerphone. Damn Blackberry. It had been only a week since he got it and the software annoyed him to hell.

"I told you, I'm at work with Tiedoll," he replied, scrutinizing the phone for the off-speaker button, eyes squinting. He didn't find it.

"When are you going to come home, then?" She asked. Lavi made a dramatic hand movement. WHAT? Kanda mouthed.

"... Kanda?"

Lavi started jumping up and down, jerking his finger violently towards the ground, "Now, now!" He scream-whispered.

"Uh, yeah, I'm on my way back right now. I'll be home in a sec. Bye"

"Kanda—"

Beep—beep—beep—beep.

Fine.

Nola threw her phone on the floor. Allen looked at her innocently.

This was turning out to be the worst birthday ever.

* * *

As Kanda entered the Bookman household with a spare key— just like Allen, he had gotten one too, in case of emergencies or just random visits. They proved quite helpful— he walked quietly towards Nola's room. Bigger and tidier than her brother's, it was probably the biggest room in the house; Bookman wanted the basement and the attic. That was it.

"Nola?" He called quietly into the room, when a shaking silhouette lay on the bed, probably crying her eyes out. He flicked on the lights, spotting a consoling Beansprout comforting her at the side of the bed.

"Go away, Bean," Kanda said. Allen obediently did so. He had been with Master Cross long enough to figure out that that glare was so not worth disobeying.

"Go away," Nola mumbled as soon as she heard the door close again. Kanda stood where he was. He even, in fact, moved closer towards her, resting a warm hand in her bare, cold shoulder. She jerked it off violently.

"Come here," he told her, but without waiting for an answer grabbed her by the arms and pried her off the bed, safely into his arms. She struggled but it was futile, so she gave up, tucking her head into his neck and sobbing there. It was much more comfortable than craning her neck on the bed, that she was sure of.

All was silent for a few moments. Then she decided it was best to spill.

"...Nobody... came to see me. Nobody w-wished me a happy b-birthday. Nobody... cares. It's silly, I know it is. It's the silliest thing I have ever cried on but... It just seems—" her lip quivered violently as she faced him, "—like nobody cares. And...and..." She shut up there.

Her mascara had run badly. Her eyeliner smudged on the sides where he bet she had been wiping her tears away. That was what he had noticed first. Her entire face was ruined by her sobs.

But, Kanda thought, she was still so pretty when she cried. So, he wiped away her tears with one hand, the other set firmly at the bottom of her spine, holding her in place... Only a few inches away from his face. (**Directioners! This paragraph was made just for you!)**

He honestly saw no use in celebrating birthdays. Who cares if you turned a year older? You were getting OLD. So he never cared. But then, seeing his girlfriend cry about it, he realized, if she cared, many others would care as well. And if many others cared, they would want someone to do something about it.

Nola had never been selfish enough to ask for presents, or celebrations, or food, or anything. She never asked for it until she absolutely needed it. So for her to think that everyone had left her birthday aside —setting her aside— to celebrate New Years, he figured right now she really needed it. So he shoved it all in a box, pulled his arms around her so she was pressed onto his chest with his forehead on hers, he whispered the words she never expected:

"I care."

"Liar," she swatted his face away from hers, but he saw the smile she was hiding. Her face was red.

"Is she blushing? She is!" Kanda teased with only a hint of a smile.

"Am not! I am not blushing! Go away, bastard!" But she was all in for the grin as she shoved him. Hard.

"Come here," he said, and kissed her.

Neither of them realized that the door want exactly the most soundproof in the world. And an Allen, who had been ditched on his Christmas birthday, had heard everything with silent tears falling down his face.

* * *

"I told you, Travis! He's my ex! I don't like him anymore!"

Great. It had to be this kind of new record. Three weeks into dating and they were already having trust issues.

"So you're saying all that lovey dove shit was just a charade to mess up his feelings? What do you expect I make of that?"

"Nothing! We're just friends!" She started becoming hysterical.

If Lenalee knew anything about Alma, it was that she hardly got angry at people. She was easily forgiving, and if got mad at a person a month into seeing him, he definitely was not the one for her. But she was forced to just look on anyways.

"I. Am not. A cheater!" Alma yelled now. "If you think I am, you are more than welcome to leave me, right here, right now. On New Years, on my ex-boyfriend's girlfriend's birthday, a girl who happens to be my friend, you can leave. Did you think I'd be here if I still had those feelings for him? DO YOU?"

"Obviously, if you look at him like that! I would—"

"Travis—" Lenalee started.

"What?!" He snapped at her.

She flinched slightly, but then proceeded to tell him what she had wanted; "Travis. Get out of the house. Please. Because you are in no position to be insulting one of our friends. When you decide Alma isn't a cheater, you can come back here. But now, we have a party to attend to. Out. Now."

Travis scowled at Lenalee, then turned back at Alma and spat, "Bitch."

Lavi whistled in the back.

"I've been called worse, asshole." Alma retorted without a care.

"Oh really? Like what?"

"Your fucking girlfriend."

And Travis left. Humiliated.

Well, screw him.

* * *

"Get ready will you?" Kanda asked as he pulled Nola into her large closet by the arm.

"Ne, Yuu..." She groaned, tired. New Years always passed quickly, and it was almost the specified time to meet up at Tiedoll's— almost seven pm.

He stopped and raised an eyebrow. It was the first time she had used his first name.

"What?" She said, "I wanted to see how it felt."

"Not bad. Not bad at all" and then he pulled her into another kiss before pushing her into the walk in closet to get ready.

* * *

After the fireworks the night before, everybody had wondered what they would see next that would be that magnificent.

They never thought it would be the Tiedoll Mansion.

Fairy lights sparkled around the garden, and as the day went dark looked beautiful.

The house. Oh, the house. There were no words to describe how good the job they had done was. All Lavi could say at that point was that it was a job well done.

And it was ready. It was perfect.

He decided to call Kanda.

"What?" Was the answer he got as soon as his friend picked up his phone.

"You guys ready?"

"Almost. She just went into her closet. She won't take that much time. She doesn't think we're going out anywhere special."

... That was probably the longest Kanda has ever talked to him without insulting him, and Lavi was quite happy about—

"Make sure you haven't messed it all up, Rabbit"

— never mind.

"Okay, Yuu-chan. Make sure you're loving her with aaaaaaaaall of your heart, man. Okay, tell her you love her often, like I tell my Al-chan. O— Yuu? YUU!"

Beep—beep—beep—beep.

* * *

"Suman!" A young lady called, balancing a four year old on her hip. "We need to leave for Mr Tiedoll's party!"

"Coming, Alyssa!"

* * *

"Daisya! Get changed! They're gonna be here any minute! Go! Nii-San! You too!"

* * *

Ring ring

"Hey Lavi."

"My Allen-chan!" There was a whine in Lavi's voice, "Why did your voice crack?"

"What? It did _HIC_—didn't."

"Aww. Was my Bean sprout crying? What happened, Allen-chan? Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me!"

"Nothing, Lavi. Shut up. I'm fine."

"Great, then. Is No-chan ready? Is she is she is she?"

Great. Annoying nicknames all around, free for all, why don't you?

"Uh. Huh. Yeah. Nola. Um. What? Huh. Yeah. She is..."

"Allen-chan?"

Allen wasn't listening anymore, stuck in his own world about being dissed. He wondered if Lavi really did love him, or whether it was a charade.

He didn't ask.

Instead he just said a quick goodbye and flipped off the phone.

* * *

"Psst! Daisya, they're here. Get into the hall! Everyone's waiting there." Lenalee whispered.

**_~Outside~ _**

"Kanda, why are we at Tiedoll's? I thought you said you were taking me out of the city."

Allen listened to this as he trailed behind the couple.

"Whatever."

They entered.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOLA!"

Nola squeaked— the first time she has ever made such a godforsaken sound— and hugged Kanda around the neck. Millions of pictures were taken. Laughs surrounded the area.

Allen, who was still lagging behind, walked in at that moment.

"HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY ALLEN!"

Allen jumped. Then his cheeks began to warm. His eyes brimmed with relief-tears as Lavi walked up to him, arm slinging casually around his shoulder.

"You didn't think we'd forget you on your birthday Allen? None of us had time on Christmas, so it's here five days late!"

He was cut off by Allen's hug.

"Thanks guys. All of you." He smiled.

And everyone was happy.

"AND LET THEM EAT CAKE!" Lavi yelled at the guests.

* * *

**OKAY I SWEAR I PLANNED IT BETTER! **

**honestly, there was so much more plot about to happen, but my head just decided to go all _Fuck it_, so I did.**

**Here, my folks, is your NYE Special.**

**For those of you who are wondering about _Knowing You, _ do not worry, my lovelies. It is in progress. Brilliant progress. So much better than the original. **

_**CHOW**_

**Owari**

_**Over and Out**_

**THROW IT AT ME Y'ALL!**


	2. Valentine's Day

**Valentine's Day**

**Special****  
**

_**Characters: Kanda Yuu, OC: Beverley, Lavi, OC: Willow, Allen, Lenalee, Daisya, Komui, OC: Scarlett.**__**Pairings: KandaxOC, LavixOC, DaisyLena, And KomuixOC**_

_**Setting: In the US— 2013**_

* * *

Scarlett turned around in her bed, rubbing her eyes and yawning simultaneously. She felt too lazy to get up, so she stared at the white ceiling as she waited for her husband to show up from his night shift at work. He'd be here any moment. She just felt like hugging him until their bones broke, and to kiss him so passionately that their lips hurt from the bruises, and—

"...Scar! I'm home!" A voice called into the apartment, knowing she'd be awake, even though it was stupid o'clock in the morning. Scarlett always complained to him the bed felt cold when he wasn't there. She never did manage to fall asleep in the cold.

Suddenly a foul smell hit the apartment.

"Komui Lee! What did you set on fire _now_?" She scolded as she flung herself out of bed towards her kitchen. There was a faint, barely concealed groan as Komui realized he'd been caught— _again_.

"It was an accident!" He called back.

His wife snorted, "It's _always_ an accident, isn't it?" At this Komui shrugged a shoulder childishly. Scarlett laughed and dragged him by the wrist towards the room to get ready for bed, but he pulled her back into his chest.

"Someone's feisty," she muttered onto his neck through a smile. Her hands roamed his chest, and then travelled up his neck while she kissed him lightly on the mouth. He responded immediately, pushing his lips against hers at full force, his hands running under the back of her shirt in circles. They were playing a game of tongues. From Scarlett's hands' place on his neck, she played with his hair, pulling his hair tie loose. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off, and flinging it towards the washing machine without looking.

Somehow, Komui always seemed to know what was on her mind. He fulfilled every wish she had been hoping for not minutes ago.

And then as the night continued, she remembered: Tonight was the eve of Valentine's Day.

* * *

"Kanda! Kanda _STOP_!" Beverley yelled at her boyfriend as he was ready to slam the front door shut after him. Tears ran down her cheeks when she realized he probably wasn't coming back.

"Kanda, don't go, please, _please_", she said, whispering the last word out.

"Stop it with the crocodile tears Beverley," he said cruelly, and she fell to the ground with sobs racking her body as the door slammed, the door frame rattling as hard as her own body. She hit the floor with the heels of her hands like a little child having a tantrum. Begging him to forgive her. Then it was her head slamming against the coffee table that they had spent hours trying to put together when their relationship had still been alive.

She didn't feel the blood escape her temples. Her consciousness was slipping, but there was only one thought on her mind:

She had ruined their relationship. It was all her fault.

And then her body went still and cold.

* * *

"Woah! Was not expecting to walk into that," Daisya spluttered, walking backwards out of the apartment, closing the door again.

Lenalee burst with laughter and shock beside him, falling to the ground in a fit. She was clutching her stomach to stop the ache.

"_HAHAHAHAHAHAHA_!"

She was going to die if she didn't stop laughing, she knew it. But she just couldn't bring herself to stop. She slammed her hand onto the floor, trying to cease her squeals. And then suddenly, they were both quiet, clutching their stomachs with silent laughter.

They just couldn't _STOP_.

After walking in on her brother and his wife, Lenalee didn't know why she was laughing. She really didn't. But, probably, it was because she was already very happy before she had even come in.

Just remembering the proposal Daisya had offered her not moments ago made her heart leap. Suddenly, her laughter turned to tears of joy.

Daisya looked at her oddly. Like she was crazy.

She probably was, at the moment. Daisya smiled lightly, tugging her hair out if her face so he could peer right through those large, deep purple eyes forever. She smiled softly at him. He leaned in slowly. Their eyes closed. They were only millimetres away from each other. They were so close that Lenalee had to suppress a shiver of emotions. She came closer—

"Daisya, what are you doing?" A voice dangerously said from above them.

_Shit_.

* * *

"Beverley? Hey, Beverley, answer!" A vaguely familiar voice erupted from the door with rapid knocking following.

There was no answer.

Taylor Wvans, Beverley's older brother, had been waiting outside his sister's boyfriend's apartment door for almost a half hour. He was worried.

The clock was ticking. He couldn't contain it. He kicked the door open, shock filling his emotions like rain flooding a small village as he saw his baby sister sprawled across the white carpet, now stained red. His breath caught in his throat and he choked violently, coughing roughly on the floor beside his sister. He lifted her head of beautifully coloured deep burnt-umber locks onto his lap, checking for her breath frantically while trying to dial 9-1-1. Failing, of course. He could only usual concentrate at one thing at a time. _Typically_.

"H-hello? Yes! I need an ambulance immediately. I-It's on the 27th street. Please hurry. She– she's bleeding. Badly. The apartment _11-38_. Yes, yes, the 11th floor. HURRY!" He rocked back and forth nervously, trying not to move the head in his lap but wanting to get all the anxious energy and nerves out. Damn it where was the ambulance?

* * *

"Hey Lavi," a young woman pecked the said man on the cheek as she entered the apartment. "Hey Bookman, sir!" She called into the hall after that.

"Ready, Will?" Lavi, her fiancé, asked as he readjusted his tie— _again_. She smirked at his OCD, swatting his arm away and fixing the thing herself, "Yep, come on," and then she dragged him out the door by the cloth in his neck, ruining the perfection of it. Lavi pouted childishly. He liked his ties in place. Willow laughed, pulling him along with her toward the car.

12 minutes later— according to Lavi, of course— they reached the dimly lit, perfectly romantic restaurant Willow had been dying to try out. She kept her happy squeal bottled up, but definitely did not forget to kiss Lavi passionately. In front of them all. Who cared, anyways?

They were lead to a table at the far end, surrounded by curtains and candles.

"And a hotel with a queen sized bed after. I promise."

Willow shook her head and grinned.

Taylor watched helplessly as the paramedics tried as hard as they could to do their job and stop Beverley's bleeding. They said the cut was too deep to operate on in an ambulance, but they were trying. He had already called her boyfriend from her phone, because he didn't have his number, but there was no reply. Had he done this to her? He couldn't have— Beverley _always_ told Taylor. She loved him. And he never said it, but she knew he loved her too.

But a possibility of a falling out was terribly possible. Had he hurt her? Had they been arguing? Could it have led to this?

Damn it, where was that fucking boyfriend of hers?

On regular days, Taylor couldn't keep to himself. Today was no regular day. He was as nervous as hell and couldn't stop himself from sweating. So he had to talk talk talk to someone. When their parents were alive, they had always joked that Beverley was the boy in girl's clothing. She kept to herself. She hated gossip. Her makeup was minimum to a natural beauty— which was exactly what she was. Yet on the other hand it was Taylor that was interested in talking behind people's back. Inconsideration towards others. Shopping. Keeping himself groomed. Almost to a gay level. Not that he was, though.

So he called a few people up. His friend, Lavi. He didn't realize he must have had a date to 'occupy' by now. Willow was upset that he had ruined their date, but as soon as she heard the news she was heading to the hospital with Lavi in tow.

Taylor rang up Lenalee, who was having a girl talk with her sister-in-law, to ask if she knew where her best friend, Kanda, was. She didn't know. She asked why. He told her. Lenalee knew he couldn't have possibly done that. She hung up, panicked, and called Kanda. Or, tried. His phone was dead. Lenalee flung her phone off the bed, clutching her head. Scarlett found out what was wrong by the end of a long, painful interrogation. Lenalee was freaked. Scarlett dragged Komui out of the storage room by the neck, the four of them piling into a car to the hospital.

* * *

The first thing Kanda realized when he alighted the train was that he had left behind his phone charger. Not that it mattered to him, but he didn't want people calling and then getting worried for no rhyme nor reason. Even if it was Bevs. He knew what he had said to her was harsh. He realized that now. They were still true, all the same, but he should've have been so blunt about it. A big argument had broken out, and he ended up leaving her behind in his own apartment.

He still loved her, though. Dearly. She must have been the only blessing he had gotten after all he had done to himself and the people around him. And he had just thrown her away. But when he couldn't take it anymore, he didn't shove her out of his house. No, _he_ left. He left her a home to be in while he cooled off a few hundred miles away. He left her a full fridge with a working air condition. There was money in the kitchen drawer, and she knew it. She was free to use it if she needed it. Currently, he had none of that. A single apple he had just bought, a wallet and a dead phone was all he was stranded with. In the pouring rain.

He kept walking.

Of course he loved her. He had never felt like he had actually known someone like he knew her. It was this kind of... Connection. There was a pull towards her when they had first met. A desire. Almost like an attraction. He felt almost empty, alone, and abandoned now that he wasn't with her.

He closed his eyes, mentally slapping himself repetitively.

* * *

Beverley Wvans was checked into the ER not ten minutes after she and her brother were brought into the hospital. The doctors were surgically trying to remove a shard of glass from the temple of the right side of her head. Following was a gruesome attempt to stitch up the wound, but she kept bleeding. They figured she must have been bleeding from another place as well. Her forehead contained another piece of sharp material that had pierced her. They patched it up too.

But she had already lost a lot of blood. She wasn't going to be able to wake for at least another twelve hours.

* * *

_**Missed calls**: (**27**) __  
__Lenalee Lee (**4**) __  
__Shitface {Lavi} (**6**) __  
__Bevs (**17**) __  
_  
_**Text messages**: (**9**)_  
Bevs (**3**)  
_• Kanda please come back. Please.__  
__• Please come back and listen to me. I love you. I didn't mean to do anythinh fstupudh.__  
_  
Kanda could tell that here, her fingers lost control and she was probably crying too much to see the mistake before she had sent it.  
Then:

_• Listen here Kanda. I don't know what you did to my sister but I'm going to find you. I swear to you I will kill you. -Taylor_

Shitface (**1**)  
_• Oi Yuu, what did you do?__  
_  
Lenalee (**5**)  
_• Where are you?__  
__• Beverley's been hurt. Her brother thinks you did it, Kanda. She's been bleeding, and bad. Call me quick.__  
__• KANDA!__  
__• ANSWER YOUR PHONE YOU BLOODY BASTARD! KANDA I'M WARNING YOU!__  
__• Meet us at the hospital, dumbass.__  
_  
That was what he was left with once his phone had charged up. In fact, he didn't even bother letting it finish charging completely before he started scrolling through it, but while it was still loading up on the battery. One could say he was impatient, or even anxious to hear something of Beverley.

People should choose their wishes more wisely.

When he came across Lenalee's messages, he felt like his heart skipped a beat. Or two. The mobile device slipped from his hands onto the floor, his eyes blank in shock. It had been, what? Thirteen hours since he'd left and she was already getting in trouble? Even though he had just checked into a hotel, he knew he should take his leave. He only hoped she was okay.

He'd never— _never_— felt this kind of love for anyone before. He knew he never said it. But at least he admitted it to himself once in a while:

_Hold on, Bevs. I love you. I promise.__I love you.__  
__

* * *

Willow was surprised to see her older sister at the hospital as she arrived. She looked slightly winded, her hair undone and her glasses still on. If Willow knew one thing about Scarlett it was that she hated leaving the house with her glasses still on.

Both sisters had bought flowers from the gift store at the hospital like it was an afterthought.

They were allowed in. Beverley lay on the scratchy white bed, her face matching the bed sheets in colour. She was asleep. Taylor had his head bowed in the chair beside the bed.

Beverley looked cold, shivering in her blankets despite her unconscious state. Her eyeballs moved rapidly behind her lids.

**_Running. Running doesn't help. Leaving. Nowhere in sight. Searching frantically. Calling out.__He sees. He turns. He smiles. He's gone..._**

"Kanda!" Beverley gasped. She shot right up in her bed.

"I knew it!" Taylor hissed.

"What?"

* * *

Agitation. That's all there was. When you were in a hurry the world always seemed to want to slow you down.

It was raining. Hence Kanda Yuu was drenched to the bone. Because the bastard had left his umbrella at home.

Therefore, he had to deal with a delayed train ride. The delay was for about five hours. It'd be 18 hours before he'd be able to come home again. He planned to make a quick stop at the apartment before making a dash for the hospital that was close by.

Currently, all he could do was phone Lenalee.

"Hello? Kanda?" The voice frantically whispered.

"Lenalee? What happened?"

"Kanda, it's Beverley. She hit her head on something— I don't know what— she had a shard of GLASS in her head, Kanda. _Glass_! And when Taylor found her, he called me and he blamed you Kanda, and I swear I thought he'd kill you the second you were in his sight—"

"Lee—"

"—She bled so bad. It was terrible. Your white carpet in the living room? Yeah—"

"—Lenalee—"

"Yeah, it's red now. Almost completely soaked through in _blood_. The smell was _horrifying_. Kanda, she could have BLED. TO. _DEATH_—"

"LENALEE!"

"... Yeah?"

"Shut _up_."

"... Yeah."

"... Che. How is she?"

"They gave her stitches. On her head. About twelve."

"...Oh" Kanda said quietly.

"Kanda, Taylor—"

"I'll take care of him," he sounded firm.

"Just... Take care, okay? When's the train arriving here?"

"Eighteen more hours, Lee."

"... _Oh_."

"Yeah..."

"... Bye?"

"Yeah..."

Neither put the phone down.

"... Kanda?"

"This is my fault..." He whispered.

"Kanda?"

"Bye."

He disconnected the line. This was going to be one hell of a 'guilt trip.'

Excuse the pun.

* * *

Everyone ended up at the hospital. Even Allen, who made up an excuse to get out of school ("My cousin just had an accident. She's dying in the hospital. _SHE'S ASKING FOR ME!_") — It wasn't fully lies.

The room she was assigned to was filled with terribly sweet-smelling flowers that Beverley hated, but she said nothing. She knew now that everything she said would be held against her in any way. After she had awoken in a white room with the name of her boyfriend in her mouth, her brother had taken every piece of speech she uttered and changed it around to make Kanda look guilty. She tried to tell him that wasn't what had happened, but he said that her boyfriend "had become too dominating and was even forcing her to cover up for him after he had committed his crime after he ran away."

Beverley honestly didn't remember what happened in the last minutes before her passing out, but she was sure Kanda would never—never— do that to her. Whatever her brother was saying, it had to be lies.

It had to be.

So she kept her mouth shut, pondering about the accident.

Sure, there had been an argument. A bad one at that. What had it been about? She couldn't even remember. Yet they were yelling. And...and... She started jabbing at his chest. He hadn't even shoved her hand away, but somehow her hand had managed to swat away a vase. It had been knocked over, and the glass had shattered.

... And that's where her memory ceased to assist her further.

Right now all she wanted was to see Kanda. She didn't know where he was. She didn't know where _she_ was, damn it. She wanted so badly to call him.

Not in front of her brother of course. He's just make a big old fuss about it and she'll never get that peaceful talk they probably would have, like nothing has happened.

... Well, probably not anyways, as this was the biggest falling out they had ever had. He had never left her alone in the middle of the glass-covered living room carpet crying. Not that she knew that, but Beverley knew it had to have been pretty bad.

She needed some time _alone_, goddamn.

No, she needed to call him.

Argh, she was so messed up right now.

Here she was, on VALENTINES DAY, in the middle of a hospital's Intense Care Unit room— stranded with a fairly large burping man and a stick-thin, vomiting woman. There were three more beds nearby, but she prayed they wouldn't be getting filled up soon— after having experienced a cardiac arrest after her boyfriend left her. With twelve stitches on her head.

Almost instinctively her hand flew to the bandages, feeling the material and stroking it to ease the itching pain growing underneath.

Her brother, the only visitor allowed inside, sat by the bed analysing her. Scrutinizing her.

"Quit _staring_." She grumbled.

Taylor sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Start by leaving me alone and getting out. _Now_."

He did so, but not without shooting her a warning glare.

This really wasn't going to go well.

* * *

"Willow~ Where are you~?" Lavi called.

Stupidly, the couple had gone downstairs to the hospital's cafeteria to "finish off the dinner they had left behind," and from there onwards— here comes the stupid part— decided to play Hide and Seek.

And Lavi had spent almost ten minutes trying to find his fiancée. There was absolutely no sign of her. None. He was almost getting worried.

No, in fact, he was worried. So worried that he had to sit down and have a cup of coffee. (That's just an excuse he's going to use if Willow spots him leaving her hanging in the game...)

He didn't feel the cold arms sneak around his waist from the back as he sipped slowly on his drink. He nearly spluttered it all out when he did, though.

Willow laughed as Lavi tried to recover from a very harsh cough after choking on some if the coffee, patting his back slowly but tenderly.

Once he could breathe properly, Lavi shoved the girl in the chair beside his. She put on a faux-offended face, shoving him back.

Shove.

Shove.

Shove.

_SHOVE_!

Lavi fell off his wooden seat, crumbling to the floor in silent laughter and mischievousness. Willow deliberately shared a look with him, letting off an airy seductiveness before taking an exaggerated breath of coffee, sipping slowly. Lavi shook his head, plotting revenge for his drink.

So he tickled her.

Soon, the loud, energetic squeals of laughter had filled the lobby. The secretary at the front desk 'tsk'ed slightly, shaking her head, but she was smiling. She pretended to try and make them shut up. It was kind of sweet, watching a girl try to shove her fiancé off her back, laughing until she couldn't breathe. Hitting the floor with her hand trying to make herself stop. Clutching her stomach with the ache of Lavi's fingers jabbing her all over. The pain of silent laughter. The soft kiss when Willow told him to stop in the midst of her laughter. Him agreeing reluctantly with a grin on his face.

It was real love.

So she let them be.

Anxiously sitting in the waiting room, even though Taylor had told them to go home, sat Komui and Scarlett in each other's arms. It had been nearing 3am when Scarlett's eyes had been closing, slipping into her husband's warm arms. Komui couldn't tell what time it was now. But he remained where he was. Holding her tight. He didn't want to let her go.

When Komui Lee had been assigned the name 'godfather' to a little girl born to two of his best friends, Darlene and Heath Wvans, he took it seriously. He had sworn to protect her like his own sister, or, like his own daughter.

When the children's parents had departed from the world, they had left them behind. They were taken under Komui's wing, with Lenalee, who also grew up in that house. They lived across Mr Tiedoll's own villa, where he supported three individual foster children who he had found and brought in during his travels. Beverley, as her mother had named her, got in well with the group of friends. She was also the youngest one in there, Allen being year and a half years older than her, but both currently together in the 12th grade.

Everyone loved her dearly, and all would volunteer to kill any man— or woman, in a sense— who lay a wrong hand on her. She was the baby of the lot. That was why nobody would believe it when Taylor started accusing Kanda of hurting Beverley.

Plus, he loved her. It was free for all to see— not that he knew, but anyways— and they had been together for almost two years, when Kanda was just starting college. Allen and Lenalee had even walked in on them doing... Passionate things alone, together. Both were too traumatized in seeing Kanda act like that, that they couldn't even find the strength to re-tell the story, but it wasn't what Lavi thought it was. DEFINITELY _NOT_. (But now Lenalee uses that piece of blackmail against Beverley, threatening to spread it to the world if she didn't get whatever she had been looking for at that time. Needless to say, Beverley was very obedient to Lenalee after that. No one knew exactly why, though)

Back to the point. It was more likely for a shark army to invade Earth before Kanda lay an abusive touch on his girlfriend.

Komui sighed. It had been eight months since Scarlett and himself had agreed to allow Beverley out of their custody and live with her boyfriend. It had been eight months since her 18th birthday. They did already miss her, but let her be. Before Scarlett had fallen asleep they had been talking about maybe bringing her back to live with them. They didn't know what she might say to that. Refuse probably. But she would soon realize it was for the best.

Komui kissed the top of his wife's forehead tenderly, and she smiled slightly, moving in closer to him.

* * *

Beverley decided to just go for it. She grabbed the phone by her bedside table, punching in the seven digits she knew so well. She waited nervously as the phone rang. And then, Beverley smiled as she recognized her own voice:

_Hey guys! You've reached Kanda Yuu's voicemail, he must be a little tied up right now, but he can call you back later, please leave a message after that little—BEEP!_

"Kanda? Can you... please call me? I really, _really_ want to hear your voice, and I'm... _sorry_. I just need you here now. I need you _here_. With me. I... I lo—" _BEEP_!

The phone was placed back into its cradle, and with silent tears sliding across her face, the caller slid down into her assigned bed and pulled the blankets over her head.

On the other side of the line, a clueless Kanda had ignored the call that had been his girlfriend's while thinking it was just a random number.

If he had known, he probably would have picked up. He did want to see her oh so badly. Hearing her voice would have been helpful to him. To know that he had not completely destroyed the connection they had had.

* * *

"Lenalee, really?! That's great! Congratulations! But... Haha... Komui knows?"

Allen kept his voice to a level that it couldn't be heard farther than a few centimetres away from him; he didn't want to get caught in the wrong situation. By Daisya, okay. Komui, no. Strictly no.

So, when Lenalee decided to break the heavy tension around them (while Komui was on the other side of the waiting room, of course), she told Allen about Daisya's proposal to her. Naturally, the answer had been something along the lines of, "Oh, yes! Yes, yes, _YES_, you idiot! Oh my God! Wow... Hmm... You're telling Nii-San."

Daisya, who had gone to get them drinks from the vending machine, returned at that moment. He handed a Coke to Allen, a Diet-Sprite to Lenalee, and kept an orange flavoured Fanta for himself. He decided it would be safe to throw the last remaining Coke to Komui from across the room, and was (thankfully!) right. The man caught the can swiftly and opened it singlehandedly, taking a swig. He ducked his head slightly to what-he-didn't-know-was-his-going–to–be-brother–in–law in silent thanks.

"Haha..." Lenalee laughed weakly. "No," she said sheepishly. "But we'll tell him... Right? _Right_?" She turned to look at Daisya.

He smiled reassuringly. "I promise." He smiled.

"Thank you." Lenalee returned, leaning into his arms before falling asleep in them. And Komui did nothing but watch and smile as Daisya as well drifted off into dreams beside her.

* * *

After Lavi and Willow were 'scolded' by the secretary, they decided it was best to head home, as they weren't direct family members, nor something close, like Komui or something.

Bookman 'tut-tut-tut'ed at them, but they were too tired to care. They looked and felt drunk, even though they strictly were not. They curled up on the sofa and fell asleep three hours later while pretending to watch a movie. (All they were really doing was make out, which made Sir Bookman decide he never wanted to sit on that couch again)

As they drifted off Bookman rolled his eyes, but lay a blanket over the intertwined bodies all the same. He kissed both their heads softly and turned the television off quietly. Yes, the Bookman could be a nice person when no one was looking. Especially for the Baka and his soon-to-be-wife. He should learn to start tolerating them from now (Or, that was what his excuse would be)

* * *

Travelling twelve hours after being drenched in ice-cold pouting rain, Kanda was on his way back home. They'd be touching down at his place's in approximately 10 minutes. He rocked back and forth with the train— he was getting impatient. He had the cabin closest to the door, but it was not enough reassurance for someone trying so hard to get rid of the nervous energy. His foot tapped against the floor, not stopping. He could tell the man across his was getting severely annoyed, but paid him no heed.

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP —  
_  
__"Destination: X X X X. Last stop, please depart."__  
_  
An onlooker may not have been sure who had been more relieved; the black-haired male, or the stranger across from him. One might actually have said the latter.

Finally, Kanda Yuu's foot touch familiar grounds.

Comparatively, it was a short trip to the apartment, where he managed to keep his lunch (apple) inside his stomach when he came across the bloodstain. That, he definitely was chucking out. He grabbed Bev's fleece blanket— the one she couldn't sleep without— from the foot of his bed, stuffing it into a bag.

He left quickly.

He decided to walk to the hospital. It would definitely be much faster than hailing a cab and zig-zagging through traffic.

The doors of the medical building came clearly into view now, just like the morning sun shining above his head. He slung the duffel on his shoulder, and that was when the blow came. The force of it threw him onto the ground.

He didn't get up. The same attacker kicked him in his side, his victim curling up, now in a pool of his own blood. He clutched the right side of his face.

He didn't retaliate. He knew exactly who the man was. Even though he hasn't done anything, he knew he deserved it. So he let Taylor hit him.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay, Bev? We can always call a doctor in or get another blanket or so. Tell me, 'you sure?" Scarlett asked. It was four in the afternoon, and after being in the hospital all day and night, Scarlett thought it would be okay to pamper her little girl, just a little.

Beverley nodded slowly. Her stitches were still settling, and she didn't have the courage to move her head quicker than the speed she was already at.

"Look at the sky," Scarlett breathed, her eyes softening as she drifted towards the window. She ignored the male patient across the room staring at her. Her hands touched the glass, and then she gasped, "Kanda!"

The goddaughter of the speaker bed shot up, her head spinning as she did so.

"What? What happened?"

"... T-Taylor..."

Beverley flung the blanket off herself, feet touching the cold floor, not caring as she nearly stumbled a few times on the way to the glass pane. She knew her brother must have done something. Something stupid. Something _bad_.

"_No_! Get back in bed, Bever—"

"_Move_," the patient said, pushing the woman who had been the closes thing to a mother figure that she had away. Not too harshly. Just enough to get her out of the way.

What she saw paralyzed her momentarily. Then before Scarlett knew what happened her goddaughter had pulled Komui's jacket on herself, slipping into the hospital's provided shoes. She made for the stairs.

Scarlett ran after her, but by now, Beverley's dizziness had stopped. She felt no pain. Adrenaline pushed through her veins. Scarlett couldn't keep up.

"Beverley, you come back here, right now!" Scarlett ordered as she halted to a stop, trying to hard catch her breath. Beverley took one look at her from two floors under, looking her straight in the eyes.

"If this was _you and Uncle Komui_ right now in this position, what would you do?" And with that, she kept on going, not flinching when a piece of dried cement cut the underside of her foot, but kept going.

And Scarlett let her.

* * *

Kanda's bloody eye burned. He couldn't open his eyes, otherwise he'd have blood in both his irises.

He only felt Taylor's thick, heavy boot kick him once note in the gut before someone was yelling.

Some sort of a door had been pushed open, a girl telling him to stop. Pleading for him to stop.

Then there was no more added pain, and he only felt a cold, soft hand caress the uninjured side of his hot-with-blood, roughened and torn face.

"K-_Kanda_?"

He recognized that voice. He did.

Beverley.

"Bevs?"

"Yeah, I'm here, okay?"

By then a nurse had already called for a gurney to be called in.

* * *

Mr Tiedoll made it to the hospital. Marie, Daisya and Lenalee came along as well. When Lavi and Willow found out, they brought Bookman along with them to visit. Allen had to make up another lie at school and get a drunken Cross to drive him to the hospital. The rest of the lot were already there.

Kanda Yuu was now stuck in the middle of an overcrowded hospital room with a frown etched on his face, arms crossed. One eye was covered with a patch of gauze. Lavi joked that they now looked like twins. The damn nurse had also taken off his hair ribbon for some Godforsaken reason and now he couldn't find it. To top it off, the only person not here was the one who he wanted to see the most. Too bad, because she was stuck three floors below him in another room after doctors confirmed that her stitches had burst, and she should stay far from the people who made up her family, because her doctor said they made her laugh too much, which was not at all good for her stitches.

So he was trapped with these sorry excuses of hooligans.

And he just couldn't stop thinking about her.

"Ne, Kanda-kun!" Lenalee exclaimed, rushing into the room, hugging her 'older brother' around the neck. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, but Lenalee felt a slight lean in on Kanda's behalf.

"She's okay," she whispered.

And he let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

* * *

Five hours later, Beverley was bored. She was sooo booooored. Lenalee had come to visit a few times, but that was it. She had been forbidden to enter after the visiting hours were over. She wondered how Kanda was, but pushed him out of her mind as she started flipping through channels. What she saw amazed her. A female reporter was ranting off the day's breaking news:

_After a terrible accident that caused the victim, Beverley Wvans to end up in hospital—__  
_  
Her picture popped up on screen, as well as the bloodstain she didn't know she left on her favourite white carpet.

—_her older brother, Taylor, who has previously been sentenced to time of 5 years, now held in the Chicago Police Station, believed it was his sister's beau Kanda Yuu who had harmed her—__  
_  
A picture was displayed of the bloody sidewalk on where Kanda was beaten up, and Beverley didn't realize he had lost that much blood.

_— and decided to forcefully attack him right outside the hospital, where Mr Kanda had been coming to to visit his girlfriend, indicating that he was in fact not responsible. There shall be further court investigation on this case, though, after Mr Kanda and Ms Wvans are released from hospital.__Furthermore, the investigation of Lillian Sanderson's murder has been..._

There, Beverley stopped listening, pondering on the breaking news. Now her picture was all across national television. _Great_.

Suddenly she made a grab for Komui's jacket, something he had purposely left behind for her in case she might need it. And now, she did.

She decided she needed to talk to Kanda. Right now.

* * *

He ignored the soft creaking of the door, guessing it would probably just be a nurse coming to check up on him or something. He kept flipping his channels. After he had seen the news, he didn't want to watch anything else, really, but he was bored.

He was surprised to find out it wasn't a nurse.

"Kanda?" Someone whispered. It was dark, and he couldn't see her figure, but he knew that voice.

"Bevs?"

"Yeah..."

"Heard the news?"

"Yeah..." Her voice was shaking, and she sounded like she wanted to cry.

"Come on, come here," he told her. She sniffed, but then rushed towards his bedside, and hugged him around the neck. They never did end up too mad at each other for too long after an argument, but this was different, and even if she couldn't remember how so, she knew. This was farther than they had ever went at insulting and yelling at each other.

Kanda pulled her in towards him, their lips meeting. By now, she had one knee propped on the mattress, and then she was straddling him on the bed, hands were running through each other's hair. She grew breathless quite quickly, as both of them weren't in the right state to be doing this right now, but she didn't care. She only stopped when she felt Kanda wince after she accidentally touched a sore spot on his side.

She pulled away.

"Kanda, not now. You're hurt— _seriously_." She put a hand on his chest to prove her point. He had flinched involuntarily. He looked up at her, and their eyes locked. He gave her one last peck on the mouth and lay back down amusedly as she fussed over him being such a stubborn, stoic asshole.

She lay down beside him, leaning on his chest slightly and sighing as she put an arm around his waist. There was silence for a few minutes until she asked, "Ne, Yuu, I need you to tell me something."

Kanda nodded, looking only slightly nervous.

"... What happened before we started arguing?"

The crickets chirped outside. Nobody talked for a very long time, and Beverley thought he hasn't going to answer until, "I... Think I would prefer if you didn't. Because, then... You would stay happier that way, rather than blame yourself for everything that happened. And... I think I'll keep it that way until I know you're ready to talk about it again. _Okay_?"

She gave him the unamused glare, but nodded her head after a moment of contemplation, reaching up and kissing his forehead gently. "I know you mean well enough, Yuu, so I'll trust you on this one. But... There's one thing I'd like you to know... And... It's that I _can't stand_ seeing you hurt, and that when I'm away from you, you seem to be the only thing that dominates my mind, so... So I think I might just about love you..."

"..."

"... _What_?"

"... Think? You _think_? Because in that recording I'm pretty sure you were just about ready to say it flat out—"

"Shut up—"

"—But yeah, I _think_ I love you too."

"... Oi, bitch, you better love me," she joked, jabbing him in the side, and even though it fucking hurt, he kissed her anyways.

* * *

The next morning could almost be described as chaotic.

A panicked Komui, who had received a call from the hospital, was searching everywhere for his beloved goddaughter. Lenalee, also panicked, had barged into Kanda's room to see if he knew where she was, and tuned her yelling down when she saw the couple fast asleep in each other's arms on the bed. The Matron simply did not approve, but did nothing to wake the heart-warming pair. She only checked Beverley had her stitches in place, and Kanda hadn't done anything stupid to the multiple injuries he had received, but that was it. They were both fine, so why wake them?

Both patients were discharged that very afternoon. Unfortunately they had a welcome party back at their apartment. The carpet had been removed, but otherwise nothing seemed to be out of place. (Unless you count the decorations that shouted _IT'S A BOY_! that had been misplaced from Lavi's attic storage to Kanda's living room. It really didn't make sense, but Bevs, clutching his arm beside him, told him with a slight squeeze of her fingers to let it go.)

All in all, the party Lavi and Willow threw wasn't all too bad, except when Komui came to the couple to tell them of his and his wife's decision; to bring Beverley back to their home for some time. She refused, obviously, but Kanda insisted it was for the best. She scowled at him but agreed— only if it was temporary. She'd be leaving in an hour. There were only a few conditions Komui had put on this, to make sure their temporary separation had its benefits, as they didn't want such a huge falling out the next time:

**1- They wouldn't be meeting for the entire time Beverley was in their custody.**

**2- No phone calls, emails, texts, voicemail, etc. They both needed their space to think about this.**

**3- No secret meetings.**

**4- If they ran into each other, turn the other way. (Exceptions such as gatherings, family meetings, etc. were granted)**

**5- In the rare occasion that there would be an exception including the ones above, no kissing, holding hands, or otherwise acknowledging their relationship.**

Scarlett had in the beginning disagreed with these rules, but Komui was a great persuader. For the eight weeks they were apart, all of the rules would be mandatory to apply. Beverley whined a lot, needless to say, but she knew she knew had no say in this. Kanda, Komui, and Scarlett had all already accepted it. It was her turn now.

"Fine," she scowled, "but after those eight horrendous weeks I better be able to kiss this bastard until his lips go blue, you hear?"

* * *

In fact, it did come to happen that there was an occasion before the deadlined eight weeks: a social gathering of some sort at Tiedoll's house. It was four weeks into the agreement and both were already missing their other half like hell. Komui only let Beverley tag along because he knew how much she wanted this, to at least be able to see him again. Needless to say, Scarlett did all the persuading this time.

Kanda only came because he knew he'd be seeing her. He knew Marie had made Tiedoll do this for that sole reason. The old man only agreed because he knew Marie meant the best for Kanda. As an older brother, he wasn't even half bad.

The party wasn't too spontaneous, but Beverley did realize she'd have to wear something classy enough to for the occasion. She knew the godparents had something to share with the family, as did Daisya and Lenalee. She chose a dress that was a deep shade of emerald that matched her eyes, and pulled her long hair into a fancy-like bun, securing it with a single emerald hair clip Kanda had given her for her last birthday. She wasn't acknowledging the relationship. She was merely wearing a gift given by the man who just _happened_ to be the boyfriend she was supposed to be ignoring.

At the party, Daisya and Lenalee wore matching purple outfits, Komui and Scarlett had matching red. Willow and Lavi together looked great in a low-key yellow. Everyone here had a pair, even Allen in elegant beige. That is, everyone except her, in emerald green, and Kanda in a deep navy blue. She waved slightly at him. He nodded at her. They weren't acknowledging anything. Not at all. Nothing. Zilch. Zero. Nada.

He looked spectacular, though. She couldn't help but glance a few hundred times every time she thought Komui wasn't looking.

When dinner time came around, somehow she ended up right opposite Kanda. She averted her eyes, stating directly at her empty plate in determination— Komui and Scarlett sat conveniently on either side of her. She did happen to look up once— just once— but Kanda was glaring at his knife.

She needed to do it. So she did.

She slipped her foot delicately out of its high heeled shoe, and quietly, slowly, carefully placed it on the seat in front of hers like a footstool. Kanda's shoulders visibly rose, but he said nothing as he gently picked her foot and placed it on his lap, which felt more comfortable to her. They were now looking at each other, so neither noticed Komui sharing a glance with his wife.

* * *

Announcement time came, or so Tiedoll called it. He brought Komui and Scarlett on stage. The announcement was very hesitant.

Personally, Beverley herself wasn't listening, until she heard the words, "And I'm pregnant!"

Beverley stared, her mouth hanging open like a broken hinge.

"W-whaaaaaaat?" The chorused reply came, as expected. Then the murmurs started;

"Wow, Komui, didn't know you had it in ya!"

"OI DAISYA SHUT UP!"

* * *

Skipping the death scenes that you probably predicted happened in the above scene, when Daisya and Lenalee walked hand-in-hand onstage, Komui was shooting death glares. Their announcement, their engagement, had been announced, and suddenly there was a pin-drop silence. No one talked. No one whispered. But the most weird reaction of all: No one screamed. NO one yelled out death threats.

Not even Komui.

Komui looked... genuinely happy.

He was...

_... Smiling?_

"Uhh... Earth to Uncle Komui?" Beverley tried.

The smile on her godfather was widening to the extent that it was scaring her. Really. He was almost inn the casting for the Cheshire Cat now.

"Come here, you two," He said, and when they did, Komui brought them both forward and hugged them to the extent that they couldn't breathe. "Congratulations, you guys," Komui said. The room erupted in cheers. Even Beverley managed a little smile. She didn't notice she was standing next to someone until a warm hand clapped her shoulder as she was taking a sip from her glass.

"So, when are Yuu and Beverley getting married?" Tiedoll said cheerfully.

Both mentioned persons choked on their drinks. There were tears in Beverley's eyes by the time she had regained her breath. Both Kanda's and her faces were a deep shade of red. She only hoped it was from the choking.

* * *

The next four weeks were a _pain._

Beverley had to work all the home chores, even though Scarlett insisted she could do it on her own. She wasn't too far into the pregnancy, only four months now, but Beverley thought it would be nice to take care of the woman who raised her like her own after her marriage to Komui. Even though it was no where close to her responsibility, Scarlett had played games with her, watched movies with her, had girl talks with her as she grew up, and even took her 'girly-grow-up' shopping as she did.

She had been a mother to her.

Beverley had gotten advice from her as she had her first boyfriend, and as she lost him in a car accident.

Scarlett had even gotten her ready to let another person into her life, the second boyfriend, Kanda. And it was the best decision she had ever made.

Sometimes, when Beverley had been really low, she would call Scarlett from wherever she was and just _talk _ to her, tell her _everything, _something she had never done with anyone other than Kanda. Sure, Lenalee and Komui knew a bit of her secrets here and there, but none were as tight safes as Scarlett and Kanda.

Beverley had even called her 'mom' once or twice in her life, and she found herself to like it.

Now she wanted to return that favour however well she could.

Over all the chores, Beverley had a lot of homework she needed to catch up on after her 'little stunt', as her teacher called it. Allen really was helping, but there were a few lessons she took that Allen didn't, something he couldn't help her with.

She also couldn't wait to see Kanda again. She wanted to kiss his lips until they were tired of just kissing and she wanted to CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED, but you get the point, right?

Now, there were only three days left, until she could do just that...

* * *

"Komui! We need to leave _now_!"

Scarlett stared at her goddaughter.

"Did you just call Uncle Komui by his name?"

Beverley shrugged, "He's purposely delaying, I know it."

Scarlett shook her head in amusement, "Naughty girl," and she pulled Beverley's shorts so they at least covered an inch of an inch more than they already were.

"Aunt Scar, naughty is what I want so bad to do to Kanda _right now_"

"Oh, uh, Beverley, I'm still in the house, y'know," Komui said.

"About time, Uncle K. It's like you were stalling up there. Let's go! I need to see hiiiiim!" she whined like a child, dragging Komui by the arm out towards the door, her curls falling in front of her face as her boots skidded across the floor trying to get him there.

"Alright," he said, kissing her forehead, "Let's go."

* * *

As the car pulled up in front of the building Kanda's apartment was, Beverley froze.

"You coming?" Komui asked.

She nodded.

"So now who's stalling?" he asked.

"Oh, Komui, _shut up,_" Scarlett warned.

Komui shrugged and mumbled a few inaudible words.

"Get out. Tell Kanda we're here."

"But Scar~!" he whined,

"_NOW_!"

He gave her a half lidded glance, and she nodded. He left the car.

Man, how Beverley wished she and Kanda could be like Aunt Scar and Uncle Komui. They were just so perfect for each other.

"Bevie? You okay? Don't you want to see him again?"

"Mum, I just don't know anymore. I mean, w-what if he's hooked up with some other bitch and -"

"Woah, kid, watch the language, haha. But I'll tell you something, I can tell you from now that you were all he's been thinking about all those two months you guys have been apart. I know it's been hard on both of you for some time, but believe me, he's not moved on, and he'll be waiting for you right now, up those stairs, just waiting to see your face again, and kiss you until your lips go blue from bruising, and go ahead and do something censored. You understand me, Bevie? He's not leaving you."

"How do you know?"

"Do you think you can keep a secret?"

Beverley nodded.

"... He's been calling me... on my mobile phone, everyday, asking about you. Every. Single. Day. He'll just ask if you were okay, handling everything fine, eating alright. And then he'd say bye, and I wouldn't hear from him until the next day. And so on. Uncle Komui may or may not know, but I think he probably does. He didn't say anything about it."

"He's been calling you?"

Scarlett nodded.

"For... _me_?"

She only smiled this time, and Beverley took in a deep, shaky breath before opening the car door and practically jumping out. She slung her duffel bag quickly over her shoulder, making a run for the door just as Kanda was coming out. She didn't care who was watching. She hugged him with as much pressure she would if she was trying to break a log by hugging it. She didn't know if she should have predicted it after what Aunt Scar told her, but she felt strong arms tighten around her waist as he brought her as close as he could to his body, like they didn't want an inch of separation from each other. She couldn't remember ever feeling so safe and warm and perfect inn someone else's arms. She buried her face into his chest, loving the warmth that it provided her from the spring air. Right now she really didn't want to let go.

So she didn't.

(And, she also managed to get her 'naughty, naughty' wishes fulfilled)

* * *

**URGH finally done! I've been working on this thing since January, and let me tell you this is the longest piece of work I have ever managed to complete in one chapter, so, VICTORY!**

**Please excuse any mistakes in here, because I had to type this on my phone. For the people out there who do that, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and there will be an Easter Special, which is because there is nothing else in March I can do. **

**Plus, one more thing, if I get any of these dates wrong please do not hesitate to tell me because I actually do not celebrate these holidays. **

**~BloodStainsOnMyKisses**

**Love you all!**


	3. Easter

**Easter Day**

**Characters; Kanda Yuu, OC: Ariadne. Daisya, Lenalee, Lavi, Allen, Reever, OC: Brooke.**

**Pairings: KandaxOC, DaisyaxLenalee, LavixFem!Allen, ReeverxOC.**

**I do not own the characters, except OCs, and there will be one line I stole from the TV show "American X-Factor", as I found it really amusing.**

**Setting: AU, Canada 2013**

* * *

Ariadne (A•Ri•Ad•Nee) is Irish, almost 23 years old, is a natural dirty-blonde, but dyes the tips of her hair black frequently. Her parents are divorced, and she is in touch only with her mother in Ireland. Currently she is in Canada, where she met her current boyfriend, Kanda (24). They have been together for three years and she is now seven months pregnant with their first kid. Her mother does not know, but she is coming to visit her on Easter (which had always been Ariadne's favourite time of year, when all of her family's kids joined teams against their parents in a traditional family Easter game.)

Brooke, 27, married to Reever (30), has three kids with him: twelve year old Javier (Hay•Vee•Yer), who is godson of Kanda and Ariadne, eight year old Mariah, godchild of Daisya and Lenalee, and three year old Chris, who is strongly attached to Ariadne for a reason none seem to comprehend.

Daisya (26) and Lenalee (22) have been together for almost six years, since they were in high school to the time they spent together working at Komui's business company. Daisya proposed to Lenalee three months ago with Komui's blessing. As Lenalee is unable to bear children they are signing papers to adopt a little girl from China, Mimiko, who is now six months old.

Lavi (24) and Alina (20), who live with Cross in order to 'support' him, have recently gotten together after a friendship of almost twelve years. They are taking things slow but both live together after Bookman died of pneumonia when visiting a foreign country for research purposes. Lavi sold the house and helps in paying Alina and Cross's rent.

* * *

The first thing Kanda felt that morning was the force of a pillow being brought down on his face. He muttered something in an annoyed fashion but didn't open his eyes, but instead turned around, away from his attacker. He felt one of her arms snake around his waist from the back, but then the pillow came crashing back down.

"Wake up, Kanda. I'll hit you again, I swear."

He turned around to face a hardly pleased Ariadne.

"Ari..." He almost whined as he turned to face her.

"Up. Now. It's late, and they're all coming today. My mother's coming as well. Get up and get in the shower. Go!" She pushed him off the bed. He saved himself just in time by landing on his feet.

"Ow," he said halfheartedly. He turned only to see her staring at the white sheets of the bed, and she was already wearing her pristine, unwrinkled new dress, her baby bump clearly visible. She pet her abdomen softly. Must have been a kick. Her hair was also already done. Now he understood what she meant when she had said it was late. It was almost 10 am.

"Come on. I'll help you set the bed."

She only nodded, but didn't move. Kanda didn't push her into doing the chore, but instead commenced doing it by himself.

"Ari?"

"Huh?"

He gave her a softly scolding stare.

"Oh. I'm just a little tired, Yuu, don't mind me." She smiled, but it wavered slightly as her body swayed a little.

Kanda looked at her strangely as he smoothed down the last corner of the duvet, cocking an eyebrow. "Do you wanna try that again? You know... Sound a little bit more convincing?"

"... No."

"Ari—"

"Seriously Yuu. I'm fine. I'm just a little bit dizzy."

"Just lay down a bit. You don't need to work your ass off all the time. Come on. Just one minute. Lay down."

Ariadne nodded, sitting down gingerly at the edge if the newly made bed. Kanda rolled his eyes. "Properly," he chided softly, pushing her down gently onto her back and closing her eyes with his fingers. He kissed her mildly on the lip, and once on her swollen belly. He took her feet into his lap to remove the sandals on them, and then got up.

"I'll be back in ten minutes. Don't do anything stupid." He said.

She lifted her head to smirk at him. "Get in the bathroom, dumbass. They're coming in half an hour."

"Yeah, yeah. Fucktard (Lavi) and punctuality." Kanda scoffed as he grabbed a towel and the change of clothes Ariadne had set out for him.

"Kanda. No bad words in front of children." She sat up, giving him the look. Her hand rest on the curve of her stomach.

"I—but— Just lay down, will you?"

She smirked and closed her eyes.

When Kanda re-entered the bedroom ten minutes later, the spot Ariadne had been occupying was vacant. The sheets had been smoothed out as well, but her shoes were still at the foot of the bed.

"Ariadne!" Kanda called into the small bungalow as he ran a towel through his hair.

"Kitchen!" The answer came, along with the clatter of a spoon hitting the floor.

He entered the mentioned room, picking up the fallen utensil as he neared her. He saw red, and she was trying to keep her hands as far away from her dress as possible.

"What did you do?"

"... Cut it on the can," she said through clenched teeth.

"How the hell did you manage that?"

"...Ow," she muttered, squeezing the lower base of her fingers. It was her left hand.

"Show me." The request was simple enough, but Ariadne was reluctant to let her fingers go. Kanda reached up into the topmost cupboard and brought down the bandages. He looked at them strangely. He never really realized they had both brightly coloured bandages as well as Mickey Mouse ones. He held the offensive Disney character band-aids up questioningly. Ariadne shrugged, telling him they were for Chris, a son of their friends Brooke and Reever. Shaking his head, Kanda pulled out three of them: A Donald Duck screaming, a Minnie Mouse kissing a Mickey Mouse, and a shocked Mickey Mouse. He placed them carefully and gently on her knuckles; one on her left pinky, one on her left ring finger, and the last on her middle finger. She smiled at her hand— even though it hurt— as she stroked the ring finger.

"You know, Kanda, one day I hope it's a ring you're putting on this finger."

His lips turned up slightly as he pulled her close, saying, "One day Ari. One day, I promise."

She smiled back at him.

"... And make sure those cuts aren't infected."

Way to ruin the moment, Yuu.

* * *

Ding-dong!

Kanda looked up from the large bowl that contained the un-scooped cans of beans he was mixing to make the salad.

He rolled his eyes as he banged the spoon on the bowl's side before turning on his heel to the door. He wasn't surprised to see Alina and Lavi's smiling faces grin at him as he opened the entrance for them. He didn't even bother greeting them. He just nodded, saying, "Beansprout, Rabbit," before stalking off.

"Oi, Kanda, who're you calling a Beansprout— Ariadne! Hey! How are you?"

The girls embraced tightly. Ariadne lead her guests towards the sofa, where there was a large selection if drinks set on the table beside it. Ariadne picked out a green herbal tea. Lavi and Alina both served themselves to glasses of orange juice.

"Look at you! Seven months, eh? Look at that glow on your face, good Lord you're beautiful!"

"Alina. You humble me. You're looking gorgeous."

"Aww thanks... Have you named it yet?"

Lavi butt in: "Alina, you just called your best friend's kid 'it'." He took a sip of his juice. He made a face at the bitter taste and put it down.

"Lavi shut up—"

"Yeah, we've named her Ekaterina." Ariadne said, smiling softly, interrupting the fight in the motion.

Alina and Lavi stopped in what would have become a lover's spat. "Ekaterina?" Lavi blinked. "How did Yuu ever agree to that?"

"Well... I'd told him that I wanted to call her Kat or Kate, he wanted a Rina. Rina was his sister's name. I know he's always liked it, especially after her death. Kat is my niece's name. Always loved it, always will. Kat and Rina. Ekaterina. He chose it for us."

"I like it," Alina said.

"Hmm. Me too," Lavi agreed.

"Finally!" Ariadne exclaimed, "THEY AGREE ON SOMETHING!"

They laughed.

Ding-dong!

* * *

It was a few hours before the entire lot had gathered up at the young couple's home. They joined in the garden, where Daisya had set things on a grill. Brooke and Reever, who were family friends, had brought along their three children; Javier, the twelve year old Kanda-copy. He talked and dealt with things like his 'Uncle K' would, even though his looks were identical to his father Reever's. Mariah was a spitting image of her mother, with red curls bouncing at her sides and her brown eyes shining. She was eight. Chris, their youngest at three, was somewhat an undetermined. He looked like both his parents equally, like in the womb he had been photoshopping their faces together to get the perfect match. He was a bright, melodramatic, happy baby who was practically attached to his 'Auntie Aria' at the hip. Sometimes, he just yelled out her name as 'Aapi', and she would respond. When the pair were together they were inseparable. Ariadne would sometimes sleep over at the Wenham household with Kanda with little Chris holding on to her arms as they fell asleep.

Back to the point, he was sharp and observing like his mother, but sweet, kind and fun-loving like his father.

Daisya and Lenalee brought their little child, an adopted Chinese girl they named Mimiko. She had been at the Barry household for the last six months, a number which was also her own age. They had adopted her three days after her birth when her mother died. Her father was unknown, but the couple had signed a paper regarding the possible assault on them for the child would be filed against him. Since Lenalee and Daisya were new to the whole parental thing, as good friends Brooke and Reever had offered to help them with the child that cried too much.

"Please, the kids would have a field day. They love kids, and Chris has never had a younger sibling, so he'd appreciate that."

Lenalee knew she wanted to accept the offer, but hated inconveniencing others. She told this to Brooke, but the only reply she received was from Reever, who made the decision final: "We've had three kids, Little Lee. We can handle a fourth now that we're used to the sound. Don't worry. Drop her off tomorrow."

Now, Javier and Brooke had gone together to hide little eggs for the children to find on Ariadne's request. Javi never was one to play games, so he helped his mother in the task. It was almost like a payment for the favour Ariadne was doing for them by occupying the youngest, most mischievous Wenham child.

Just then Brooke whipped around as she heard a soft thud, worried. Her youngest son lay on the floor, apparently having hit his head. His legs were in the air, kicking wildly. He took long, deep breaths. Little did she know, it was silent laughter. Brooke nearly threw her basket of hard boiled eggs on the floor, but Javier held her arm, pulling her back. He smiled as he looked at his brother. Suddenly there was a loud, piercing shriek. A shriek of pure, innocent laughter. The melodious sound filled everyone's ears, and they smiled as Chris yelled through his heaving breaths in between laughter.

"Baby kicks me! Hahahahaha baby kicked my head!"

Ariadne sat comfortably on the ground (on a table cloth, of course), laughing softly at the child who had by then started crawling back to her. She pulled him up, bringing him into her lap, and placing his head on her abdomen gently as she whispered, "Shhh, can you hear?"

"What?" Chris said loudly.

"Sssh! You'll hear it. Her heartbeat. _Thump, thump_, can you hear it?"

The child nodded excitedly, placing both hands on his auntie's stomach and listened harder, nestling into her lap comfortably.

Everybody still watched and smiled, until Ariadne's phone let out a loud hum.

"Hello?" She said, holding Chris against her stomach, "Mum?"

The area went silent.

"You've landed safely? Okay. Sure, yeah... But mum? Mum. Mum! No, don't. Don't... Ugh fine. I'll send Kanda." There was a brief silence before Ariadne's face grew red with shyness and embarrassment.

"MUM! Yes, mum. My boyfriend. Bye." She shut her phone off, before calling out "Kanda!" She tried to sound even the slightest bit angry but the red blush on her cheeks ruined the effect.

He turned his head away from Reever, who he had continued conversing with. "Yeah?"

"Pick Mum up from the airport, please. Terminal four." She gave him the directions to the airport terminal while cradling Chris on her arm. He started whining badly (Chris, not Kanda) so she handed him to his father beside her, smoothed out Kanda's suit, kissed him, and shoved him out the door.

Girlfriends, he shook his head.

* * *

It was a long drive to the busy airport, and the traffic was horrendous. When Kanda finally managed to find a parking slot, he had to walk through three other terminal entrances before he got to the 4th. He saw Ari's mother waiting patiently with her head buried in a book, legs crossed delicately and back poised perfectly. She wore her long greying hair open, with a dark black suit made to fit perfectly. A Bluetooth was stuck in her ear, her carry-on trolley and suitcase, her only luggage, sitting beside her on the bench.

Ex-Mrs Hart hated tardiness, so as Kanda neared she looked up at him with an expected raised eyebrow, the type only a businesswoman and mother could muster

"Mrs Hart." He greeted.

"Kanda," she smiled. Despite the lateness, she actually didn't mind the boyfriend, as she knew he had been making her daughter as happy as a love-sick teenager for the past three years they had been together.

He picked up her suitcase, pulling it along with him as he lead the way back to his car. He loaded the two bags into the trunk as they approached, and the two got into the front seats.

"First time in Canada, Mrs Hart?"

"Yes," she told him truthfully, "and I'm sure it'll be full of surprises." She looked at him knowingly. As Kanda paused at a stop sign, he returned the look, eyes clouded in confusion. She smirked.

Mothers. Creepy.

Silence.

"Why was she blushing so hard when she was talking to you?" Kanda asked suddenly.

She looked at him again. "I asked her if you married her yet. She just yelled 'Mum!' And I laughed. Then I asked her when she was planning on getting pregnant."

Kanda froze.

"I asked her if she was... Sleeping well at night, if you understand what I mean." Kanda felt her eyes as they bore into the side of his skull. He concentrated hard on the road, avoiding her gaze as he felt warmth creep into his face.

Another silence. Mrs Hart looked amused as her gaze shifted into the road.

A few minutes of pure silence later, and Kanda reached over into the glove box, pulling out a pastel, intricate glass egg. One hand on the wheel, he gave it to Mrs Hart.

"Open it," he said.

The older occupant in the car delicately lifted the top of the egg. The inside was lined in white silk, a cushion placed on the bottom half. A single-stoned ring poised elegantly on it.

"Oh, Kanda." Mrs Hart's hand flew to her heart. "I... I didn't know you felt that way about me!"

Kanda snorted, shaking his head at his girlfriend's mother's good natured humour.

"No, seriously, Kanda. She'll love it. Easter is most decidedly—"

"Her favourite holiday. I know."

Mrs Hart carefully released the egg, putting it back in the glove-box.

"How long have you been planning...?"

"Almost the past six months now."

"That's a long time."

"... Yeah."

"Kanda," she put a hand on his arm. He looked at her. "... Good luck."

"... Thanks."

* * *

"Aria, dear, you really should lay down."

Brooke had completely given up on trying to persuade Ariadne to sit or lay down after she had stumbled slightly as she walked. Now, it was Reever who had to listen to the unconvincing sounds of, "I'm fine!" and "Stop worrying guys!"

Truth be told, Brooke was ready to sedate Ariadne if that's what it took to get her rest. She could see through the younger's makeup; her eyes had dark circles beneath them and her eyelids dropped slightly. It was like she didn't get any sleep.

"Ria," Reever said, using his nickname for her (apparently they all had made a million nicknames for her), "You haven't had the baby yet. Nobody's crying all night long, so why are you not sleeping?"

Ariadne shrugged, staring at her feet. Currently, she looked like a little girl, scared and small.

"Aria," Brooke said softly, "Everyone's worried for you. You haven't even become a mother yet, but if you don't tell someone what's going on, you're already going to be a very irresponsible parent. What happened, sweetie?" Even though Brooke and Reever were more or less only 4-10 years older than her, she felt of them as second parents. No one else had observed the way she swayed slightly in her step, so they were still celebrating and partying in the garden. The three of them were in the kitchen. Slowly but surely, Brooke lowered her friend onto a chair.

"There was two."

Brooke silently looked at her husband.

"One died. Last month. A boy. Yuu knows something's wrong. I haven't been myself lately. But I just can't tell him."

"Kanda still thinks you are carrying two?" It was a quiet question from Reever. Ariadne's head shook violently as tears dropped onto her dress. Her head was bowed so they couldn't see her face.

"He thinks there is one. That there always has been one. And that's Ekaterina. Hell, I thought there was one. I had an accident the night before it happened, and I bled badly that night. There was two, it turned out. It was a miracle one survived. And I don't want to lose her. And... And he's been so nice to me. He's trying to ask, but he just can't find the words to use without hurting me, and I can see that in his eyes. He wants so badly to help me, and I'm just shitting him out. And God, I love him so much I just can't put it on words either, so I can't lose him to this."

Silence drifted for a few minutes.

"I—we— we were going to have twins! And one just... dies? And I don't tell him? He's going to hate me so much. It's gonna hurt him so bad." Her throat made a little straining sound. She started again in a whisper. "I can't have him hate me. I so badly needed—wanted— to tell him yet..."

"You couldn't."

Ariadne snapped her head up. The voice came from the doorway.

"Kanda—"

"It's fine." He said. There was no mocking, no sarcasm, and no malice in his voice. Only understanding.

"Where's my mother?" She asked, alarmed.

"She's in the garden."

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

At this point both Brooke and Reever decided it was best to edge away. They were gone in seconds. Kanda came towards her. She didn't dare look at him as she felt his warm hands hold her cold shoulders, running them up and down her bare arms.

"You're cold."

"I can't have you hate me."

"I don't hate—"

"We could have had two children, Kanda! Two! I—"

"It's fine—"

"—should've— what? It's not fine, Yuu, I killed a child. OUR child. How is that _fine_?"

"You didn't kill anyone. It's not your fault." He picked her off the chair, holding her cold body close. She was shivering. "Agh, fuck. Fuck fuck fuck bloody fuckety motherfucking fuck." She screamed into his shoulder.

"... Better?"

"No." She replied, tone whiny like a child's. Ariadne sighed, "No bad words in front of small children." She said

"Yeah." Kanda muttered into her hair.  
"It's hard. Every time I sit, I imagine myself in that car, crashing into another. And... And... I'm sorry I couldn't tell—"

"Don't apologize. I get it."

"But—"

"Don't." He said sternly, looking her in the eye. She saw darkness, but beyond that she saw sadness. Anger. Distance. Understanding. Passion. Shock.

It was amazing how much you could get from a person's eyes. Tears brimmed her eyes as there was one final element that surfaced in his dark blue orbs.

Pain.

"I... I—"

"... Yeah."

They understood. They understood each other perfectly. They stood in silence for a few more minutes, heads touching, lips close enough to touch, breaths mingling.

"We should go—" Ariadne started rubbing at her cheeks to get the wet trails off.

"Yeah, they're waiting..."

Ariadne rubbed her eye, looking at her watch that Kanda had given her on their second year anniversary.

"It's 4." She yawned.

"Tired?" Kanda mumbled onto her neck from behind. She leaned backwards gratefully as he cradled her swiftly, from left to right. She let out a sigh of contentment. "Yeah, slightly."

She leaned her head back as she kissed him.

"Just a few more hours, and then I'll kick them out, I promise."

"Mm, I love you."

"Me too," he said as he nibbled her ear softly.

"We could stay here forever."

"I wish," he said. "Let's go." He pulled her by the hand towards the door leading them to outside, but she remained rooted to the spot.

"Kanda?"

He looked at her.

"We are going to raise this child properly. We'll take care of her so much that she'll be sick of us. You understand me?" Ariadne looked on the verge of years.

"Don't cry, Ari."

She looked at him.

"Promise me."

"I promise. Don't cry. You know... You know it kills me to watch you cry."

"Yeah." Her voice cracked.

"Don't."

She nodded.

"Come on," and she let herself be dragged out.

The sight they came upon was almost breathtaking. Despite the sun just beginning to set, the garden shone with extra lights. Fairy lights were hung across the small garden's wooden gates. The small lake they had installed in the middle of the garden shone elegantly, reflecting the lights. Lenalee and Daisya were in a corner, faces so close to each other's that their shadows actually merged.

Reever and Brooke were nowhere to be seen. When they asked Javier, he said he was too busy finishing off the eggs to realize where they were. He kept looking at his Uncle K with weird looks, but Kanda only smirked at his favourite nephew. When they asked Mariah, who replied, "They had an appointment somewhere. Mum said that it was a last minute decision."

The buffet the couple had set out was being perfected by the mother of the hostess. As both Ariadne and Kanda were vegetarians, the food was kept that way. There was a dessert Ariadne had made, which was her speciality. It was a big feast they had prepared; everything was homemade. Mrs Hart tweaked things around, making them perfect. With one hand on his girlfriend's waist, Kanda pulled himself and his expectant partner towards her mother, who happened to turn around at that second.

"Ariadne? Is that you dear?" She asked incredulously, as it was the first time in a year that she had gotten to see her child.

"Hi, mums," she replied quietly, anxiously wondering what her mother would say of the baby bump.

"You... You're having a baby?!"

Ariadne remained silent.

"I.. I'm ashamed Ariadne Hart, that you —"

Here comes the yelling.

"— didn't have the decency to tell me. Severely ashamed. What would I have done, huh? This is what: stomp all the way to that store I saw for moms and babies, and got this kid some good clothes. I saw this amaaaazing romper, Ri, you wouldn't believe how cute it was!"

What?

Ariadne let out a loose sigh, "... You're not mad?"

With a wide grin on her face, the businesswoman shook her head and kissed her daughter's nose. Just like old times.

"Congrats, sweetie. We have to tell your father!"

"Mom, noooooooo," she whined.

"I won't have that shit, Ri, you're almost bursting at the seams, with child, you can't have your father not know—!"

"But mom he'll just insist we get married, which will make me goddamn embarrassed like shit, talking to my dad about that. Especially since I ain't got no courage to go an' tell him no news for them past years—" her Canadian accent was slowly slipping back into Irish, "—and now I go tell 'im imma go have a baby? Dang, ma, I'll be slaughtered before you can say 'Shitnuts'."

"Ariadne, that is no way to talk in front of your husband—"

"Oh my God ma. He's my boyfriend for Christ's sake. And he's probably already seen this part of me... Right Kanda?"

"Woman, there is no part of _this_—" he gestured to her glorifying body "—that I haven't seen. You be careful around me."

"Pooh, are you two gonna kiss? 'Cause I wanna go get the camera... " Lavi said as he neared the couple.

Ariadne snapped her face away from her beau as she realized how close she had been to do just that. Their faces had neared as they ranted, so close that their breaths were almost one shared substance.

"Get away from me, dickhead," Ariadne said as she shoved Kanda's face away from hers, her cheeks reddening at the unwanted attention. Kanda scoffed, turning around so she faced his back, not letting his red face show.

"Come on, you guys have already shared a bed, we can all see that, obviously, unless the little lassie here is—"

Kanda glared at his 'best friend'. "Don't you dare, Usagi. Don't. You. Dare."

Lavi put his hands up in mock surrender. "Yes, SIR!" He said loudly. "But you did knock her up, so just one kiss...?"

"Lavi!" Ariadne yelled. Softly. She yelled softly.

Lavi snorted, "You two could write a book about dysfunctional relationships."

He ran off before Kanda could find a knife.

* * *

"Alright, now who's up for games?" Mrs Hart asked. The children cheered loudly. (With the exception of Javier, of course.)

The games were set out evenly, fairly, squarely. The rules were as follows:

1- Find an egg.  
2- Bring the egg to the team leader, who will open the egg, which has a clue in it.  
3- All clues lead to the treasure, an openable glass egg with an object missing from one of the guests.  
4- Return the object in the egg to its owner to receive a prize.

It was plain and simple. Mrs Hart, the referee of the game, sat beside Javier, Kanda and her daughter as she amusedly watched the adults and kids segregate into teams. As the whistle finally had its chance to blow, she sat back down next to her family and watched the game like a boy watching football. Yelling, cheering, whooping like a coach.

She glanced back at the youngsters. Javier was texting someone. Ariadne had her head on Kanda's shoulder, his head on hers. They silently watched the competition as Ariadne rocked Mimiko's pushchair back and forth, where she had fallen asleep. Ariadne herself looked like she could doze off as well. She sighed softly in contentment, shifting into a more comfortable position until she found her spot, with her hand on Kanda's neck, softly kneading it in a massage.

Kids, Mrs Hart thought.

"You guys look so adorable~ You're like the most beautiful couple ever~ " she cooed.

"Moooooooooooooom," Ariadne moaned. Her mother chuckled.

"No mom seriously. I don't feel good."

"What's up?" Her mother asked, concerned.

"I have this blooming headache, and there are these things that are, like, bloody twisting my stomach around..." She couldn't continue as another wave of nausea hit her.

"Well, why tell me? Tell your beloved boyfriend." She teased, knowing it was nothing serious and that the child was just playing football.

"He's comfy, moooom..."

"I'll go get you a pill. Do you have any of those pregnancy ones?"

"I don't know..."

Kanda nodded. "Yeah, we do. In the top cupboard in the kitchen."

"This guy knows his stuff, Ri."

"Shut up ma." She teased.

Mrs Hart put on an offended look (faux) and stalked away moodily to the house, (faux) to get her baby her pill.

"Thanks!" She heard from behind as the children's side of the team cheered with the next clue.

* * *

"Whoa whoa whoa, kids. No circling old granny with clues. I know nothing," Mrs Harts told the kids who begged her for the answer of the riddle as she pulled medicine boxes out of the cabinet. "But by reading that slip of paper, I guess... It's in the hall," she whispered.

"Thank you Mrs Hart!" The children, mainly Mariah and her friends, yelled.

With a cup of water and the medication, the host's mother made her way back outside, where Ariadne has fallen asleep on Kanda. He held her close but didn't say a word as Mrs Hart neared.

"She's asleep—?"

"Nope," Kanda answered, not even looking down to check.

"Ri?"

"My boyfriend knows me more than my mother."

"Hey!"

"Just kidding. Yep?"

"Your pill."

"Thanks."

Javier was giving the three a weird look before returning to his texting. Kanda could have laughed at that face.

"So, kid. Who're you texting?" Kanda asked.

"No one." Javier's face dusted slightly in a pinkish hue.

"Really?" He teased. Ariadne looked up from Kanda's shoulder with an inquisitive expression.

"Come on Javi." She said. "I won't tell your mom..."

"Aunt Ria..." He whined. "She's a friend of mine. We're doing a project together for school. I swear."

"Uh huh."

There was a brief silence. Then: "Some partner at school huh?" It was Kanda.

"Yes!"

Kanda was almost smiling in amusement. "Really? Then why's your face going red?"

"I don't know!" Javier almost yelled, face covered by his hands.

**(A/N: Watch: http: #/watch?v= RWp_xIuL5hY&desktop_ uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3 DRWp_xIuL5hY (erase the spaces, of course) )**

The grownups laughed at the kid, Kanda ruffling his hair.

There was a loud cheer in the children's side of the game. They ran towards the three hosts sitting on the floor.

"Another clue?" Ariadne asked.

Mariah shook her head excitedly.

"We found it, Aunt 'Adne! We found it!" She handed the silver laced egg to her aunt.

The grown up team, having purposely let the kids win, came up from behind their opposing team.

"It's mine? Uncle Kanda's stealing my stuff?"

Mariah giggled. "Open it!"

Ariadne gave Kanda a suspicious look. "Am I even allowed to open it in front of children?"

"Oh come on Ari."

"Kidding." And she opened it. Javier looked up from his phone with a smile on his face, looking at his aunt and waiting for a reaction. Her hand flew to her heart.

"K-Kanda I.."

There was silence as the waiting audience caught sight of a silver, solitaire diamond ring.

"Ariadne Rose Hart," Kanda started. Tears were nearly falling from Ariadne's eyes as he came closer to her, "Will you marry me?"

He hadn't knelt down on one knee. He didn't bring roses. The ring was hidden in an egg for it to be found be little kids to bring to her, and it was definitely not your standard proposal.

But that's what she liked about Kanda. Nothing ever was that standard.

"Yes, you weirdo."

The crowd cheered.

"You guys gonna kiss NOW?" Lavi asked.

He was shot an unamused glare, but Ariadne pulled Kanda's collar until their lips met.

* * *

Ariadne didn't take the ring off even as the night neared. Their guests had left, except Brooke and Reever hadn't returned from their last minute business. It was late, so Kanda had to carry a sleeping Javier up to their bedroom (snatching the phone away from his hands, of course. He caught a look at the person he was texting—Lianne) with Chris while Mariah pretended not to be sleepy in front of the television. She had dozed off in a few minutes but neither fiancé nor fiancée wanted to wake her to move her to a bed. They just left a blanket over her and tucked in a pillow under her head. Ariadne's mom slept in the small guest bedroom.

The couple waited at the porch steps of their little bungalow. Ariadne texted Brooke at a quarter to one (12:45 am): 'We have your kids. You know where to find them :P'

The faux ransom note quickly got Brooke's attention, and she texted back that they were coming in a few minutes, having forgotten their kids were at hers rather than at home.

Javier had gotten comfortable on the bed, holding his little brother as they slept serenely. Ariadne risked a quick snapshot before waking the older sibling up. Like the responsible twelve year old boy he was, Javier understandingly awoke without disturbing his brother, holding him in his arms as he walked towards the doorway. Mariah refused to get up, so Kanda picked her up and placed her into her parents' car as they arrived.

The couple thanked them and quickly drove off back home, leaving the two alone, hand in hand. Then suddenly, it was lip to lip, nose to nose, and head to head as well.

They trekked back to the house, faces still drawn together. With their hands still entangled they made their way to their room for bed, as it was late.

Ariadne fell asleep quickly, her arm linked to her fiancé. Her ring still shone in the dim light. Kanda, however, was still pondering on the lost child. He didn't know exactly how to deal with the news, but he sure as hell didn't blame Ari about it.

He hoped that there had been no lawsuits filed against her or something, and certainly hoped she hasn't gotten any bad news from the hospital other than the half miscarriage.

God only knew how weird that sounded. Well, God bless, at least it wasn't a full miscarriage. He closed his eyes at the thought, knowing full-well how much he and Ariadne wanted this child.

Carefully unhooking his arm from Ari's, he got out of bed into the kitchen. He couldn't sleep. He thought about making himself a cup of tea.

Imagine his surprise when he ran into his mother-in-law, stirring a mug of hot milk which was gradually turning into a shady brown.

"Mrs Hart," Kanda said.

"Oh. Hi Kanda." She smiled and returned to her magazine.

"Can't sleep?"

"How could you tell?"

"Because you're here."

"Cheeky boy," she smiled over her pages.

There was a brief silence.

"Say Kanda?"

"Hmm?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why the sudden pregnancy?"

She didn't think he was going to answer at first, but a few silent moments later he did, "Holidays aren't fun without kids, she says. And she wanted one. I just gave her what she wanted. That's my job."

"...You're a great guy for her."

"... Okay."

Mrs Hart only laughed.

* * *

"Kanda...?" Ariadne whispered from the bed as her boyfr—fiancé— neared.

"Yeah?"

"Where'd you go?"

"Kitchen."

"Oh."

As they got comfortable on the bed again, (hand in hand, eye to eye... Kanda's hands on her hips, her head in his chest, a baby bump in between), Ariadne smiled: it was all she ever wanted or needed.

She didn't wake up until later at night, her abdomen experiencing out painful contractions.

She knew what today was.

It was now April first, also April Fools' Day.

But this... This was no joke.

Her eyes screwed shut. She didn't want to wake Kanda— she knew how long it had taken before he had fallen asleep. So she shot up, by herself, holding in tightly to the bedpost. She took even breaths that were threatening to become laboured.

She didn't realize Kanda was already awakened and studying her carefully.

"Oi," Kanda said.

He'd managed to wake up himself. Thank goodness.

"Oi, you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm okay, I'm okay. I'm okay... Go back to sleep."

He pretended to oblige but propped his knee up; she rested her head on it silently, waiting for the pain to cease.

But what if... Maybe it was...

What if it was the real thing?

It was. The pain didn't stop. It increased.

"Kanda can we... Go?"

"Thought your never ask."

They picked up a pre-packed bag, woke up the mother and they were on their way.

* * *

"It hurts! Make it stop, make it stop, please make it stop I'm begging you. It hurts... It hurts!"

Ariadne cried. Her insides hurt, hurt so badly. She wanted it to be over with. It just hurt too much, even if it was probably going to be worth it in the end.

But she had been here for hours.

But finally when she thought she'd have enough, that she'd just give up and they could both die for she cared, she felt her baby. She felt its tiny head where it shouldn't be. She almost wanted to cry in happiness, but her job wasn't done. So she pushed, until she had brought life to a creature she had saved inside her for the past seven and a half months. True, she was premature, but this doctor was dependable and experienced. She'd help them.

She was finally allowed to see Kanda. She held his hand tightly, because the after-pain of childbirth still lingered, but he didn't mind.

She looked into his deep eyes. He kissed her head over and over and over, telling her it was over. It was done. They had a kid. Ekaterina.

And that was all they could ever hope for.

* * *

**BloodStains: hey guys! Here's Easter! I'm not sure about the exact dates so sorry.**

**April Fools ' Day comes day after tomorrow (I WORK MY ASS OFF FOR YOU GUYS, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE LATE! SOOOOOZ)**

**So, yeah. Suggestions down below in the reviews, and subscribe!**


	4. April Fools Day

**April Fool's Day**

**Characters: Lenalee, Allen, Daisya, Lavi.****Pairings: LavixAllen, DaisyaxLenalee**

**I do not own any character, setting, or anything else but this particular plotline.**

* * *

They all knew it was coming. Hell, that is.

The two biggest pranksters of the Black Order had joined forces, so together they could rule the jokester galaxy!

No, really. I mean it.

Even at the Order, where their lives were secluded from others', celebrations were necessary. According to Komui, anyways.

This celebration just happened to be April Fools. The day where all those practical joke devices and plans you have made shall spill. It will become a war in the Black Order in only a few more minutes. The staff— mainly the exorcists— had big plans forming in their minds as the clock reached a few minutes before midnight.

A few minutes before destruction.

Lavi and Daisya stood hidden in a corner with their troops: the men of the Order. In their hands were important, dangerous weapons: Nerf guns.

On the other side of the building, Lenalee and Allena motivated and encouraged their female warriors. They supported in their arms a deadly console, one that could prove dangerous against the bodies of boys: the highest possible quality of the kind: water guns— double shooting accessibility.

This... This was gun wars.

The whistle blew.

The medical ward got ready.

* * *

"Soldiers! On your feet! GO GO GO GO!" Daisya commanded, cocking his gun. He stood back-to-back with Lavi, and suddenly felt a pang in his chest.

He missed his brother.

Right now, Kanda would be the biggest key in winning this war, mainly due to his awesome shooting and aiming skills. Too bad he had been on a mission for the past two weeks.

"SOLDIERS!" A feminine voice called. "SHOW NO MERCY! THESE ARE ENEMIES! FOES! DESTRUCTORS!" It was Lenalee. Allena continued:

"We bring justice into this building! We will STAND! We will FIGHT! And we will DIE AND WOUND! But I tell you, my soldiers, my warriors, that WE. WILL. AVENGE!"

The whole building shook with the next line, as it was screamed out by both parties:

"THIS. IS. SPARTAAAAA!"

The first soldier to fall came from the males' team. A finder called Tarik. He was shot in the leg with a water blaster, severely wounding him, the force leaving him crippled and unable for battle (imagery). They honoured him greatly by fighting harder, and bringing down an opposing member: Tarik's very own daughter, an exorcist from the Asian branch, Irum. There was a dramatic death scene, and then she was gone, wheeled away to the Matron for her wounds (bruises) by bullets.

The next half hour was crucial. It was the peek. The vulnerability o both teams. Lenalee was on guard. Her mortal enemy (boyfriend) Daisya would be after her, she was sure of it. She snaked behind a corner, hearing him whisper into his walkie-talkie over to Lavi. Sneaking out a stink-bomb, provided by her secret agent supplier (brother), Lenalee poised herself to strike. One part of the bomb was between her teeth, ready to be pulled. Shallowly breathing, she closed her eyes, pulled, and threw. The aim was perfect.

Daisya looked around as it started activating. Coloured air erupted from the menacing device, a disgusting stench dragged along with it.

"URGH! MAN DOWN! MAN DOWN!" Daisya yelled, coughing. Lenalee fled before the teammates reached them, hi-fiving her own team.

The girls were almost winning: 2-1. Rules were, the first to get to 3 points wins.

And they were about to do just that.

* * *

"TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF TODAY'S ANNUAL SESSION OF THE NERF WARS, IT'S KOMUI LEE!"

"And the winner of today's match is... The Barbies! I'm sorry, Hulks, but better luck next time!"

The guys cheered. Even though they had lost one of their best men in an early stage of the fight, they had managed to win through it. The girls groaned and murmured plans of destruction and revenge. Luckily, neither team leader had been disavowed from the job for the game: they had been quick and stealthy in what they did best... Pranking their boyfriends.

Now the teams were in lunch break, completely unaware of the damages yet to come. _  
Damn that prankster Jerry. As Lenalee side by side entered the cafeteria with Daisya (they stopped being enemies for a while, especially since he was currently disqualified), she heard a loud, booming voice that could only be one terrible man's: Leverrier. Daisya gripped Lenalee's hand and spun around, only to be confused. He stared at an innocent Allena.

"Lenalee." Allena said in Leverrier's voice. "I hate Jerry."

By now almost everyone in the Order had started speaking in Levie's tone and voice. It was freaking people out.

Jerry had thrown in a lot of the scientists' potions, mixing them together and viola! Leverrier's voice spewing all over the place.

This was going to be a terribly fun day.

* * *

The next thing to accomplish on the Order's April Fools' Day list:

"Prank Wars!" Daisya yelled. "Listen up! The rules are as follows: EACH MAN ON HIS OWN! ONE TWO THREE GO!"

The first scream of victory is let out in... 10 seconds. Lavi has fooled Krory into believing that his pants were on fire.

That is the thing about this one war:

There are no rules.

You do whatever you please.

And you only seek one prize:

Master Order Joker 1955.

The crown.

"I see the future!" Miranda yelled. "This is preposterous!" Her eyes begin rolling in her skull. "It is possessing me!" She let out a scream just as Komui came rushing over to help her. He had left his post to help his inferior. (Sweet, but foolish)

Miranda screamed again, then got up and smiled. Komui was confused. Then Miranda grabbed an invisible mike. And she sang:

"IT'S FRIDAY, FRIDAY. GOTTA GET DOWN ON FRIIIIIDAAAAY"

"MAKE IT STOOOOOOOP!" The group screamed at her.

"Hahahaha! Fooled ya!" Lavi jumped in. He high-fived Miranda and pulled her along with him to another area, and then they separated.

The group and Komui were disqualified.

You could learn to never trust anyone on this day of betrayal.

* * *

"Daisya!" Daisya heard his girl scream.

"Lenalee?" He yelled, adrenaline coursing trough his veins as he ran towards her voice.

Her leg had been stuck under a wooden plank that had fallen after a stupid scientist had managed to blow something up. Her calf had started bleeding and he knew this could be no joke. Her eyes were tearing up and red.

"Help?"

"This is not a prank, right?"

"DAISYA!"

"Fine fine."

"Thank you!" She said sarcastically at her clueless beau as Lifted the heavy object with the help of his Charity Bell.

"Ugh, that hurt," Lenalee limped along with Daisya to the infirmary, his hankie wrapped around her leg. (He was going to have to throw that thing away now :( he liked it).

"Daisya! What did you do to her?" The head Matron so nearly yelled.

"Nothing! Nothing I swear!"

"Okay. Scram."

"Yes ma'am."

"Daisya?" Lenalee called. "One more thing."

"Yeah?"

"April Fools'" she smiled, peeling off his hankie, and then the fake blood.

"Damn."

"Oh yeah."

"Lenalee?"

"Hmm?" She hummed.

"..." He glared playfully. "Screw you..."

"You'll get to, later" she smiled sweetly.

Matron choked.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon. Lenalee had been disqualified. So had Miranda, Johnny, and basically everyone else. Marie had been forced to relocate his girlfriend from the place he had shot her to the infirmary, as she had fallen. He later had been pranked himself.

There were two contestants left. The disavowed watched intently.

The remaining were not related by blood but they were pretty close in personality. And stubbornness.

So neither was ready to lose. Especially not to their spouse.

Well not ispouse. Partner.

Lavi and Allena glared at each other.

Neither made a move, despite circling each other.

"Come on, Lavi." Allena said. "Give it up. I know you want to kiss me."

Lavi got distracted for a second, losing his guard and almost lowering his weapon (a wooden staff (wtf?)).

Key word: almost.

Allena showed no signs of disappointment. She walked forward and toward her partner. "Come on."

Lavi gulped.

"I know you do." Get voice dropped seductively.

This is a trick, this is a trick.

He dropped his weapon, giving in.

"YUU-CHAN!" He yelled. Allen spin around, expecting a menacing bellow from her comrade Kanda, but received none.

"HA! I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON I WIN I WON!"

"OH MY GOD BOOKMAN SHUT UP!" Allena screamed.

* * *

"Oh, Lena." Daisya said.

"Hmm?"

"Remember the bet we made? About the winner? Well I win."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Remember the deal?"

"Oh. Ha. Yeah."

"So..."

"So..."

"Tonight, my room. Don't be late sweet pea!" And he ran off.

* * *

Sorry it's late. Troubles. : \  
Mothers Day: May 12th. Until then.

~ BloodStainsOnMyKisses


	5. Mothers' Day

**Mothers' Day**

* * *

**Characters:**  
**Kanda Yuu, OC: Eleanor, OC: Alma, OC: Adam.**

**Daisya Barry, OC: Paige, OC: Alexander (Xander).**

**Lavi Bookman, Allen Walker, OC: Jamie (adopted).**

**Pairings: KandaxOC, DaisyaxOC, Laven**

**Disclaimer: Meesa own neesa.**

**Setting: I'll leave it up to you ;D**

**Note: Kanda, Daisya, and Allen are adoptive brothers. Tiedoll adopted Allen after his oldest son Marie died because of a disease that ha left him blind for three years.**

* * *

**May 12th.**

"MOOOOOM! Where's my book?"

"Adam! What do you mean where's your book?"

"Mom I can't find them, I'm going to be late!"

"Ask your father! KANDA!"

"What?"

"Talk to Adam, he's lost his books!"

"I didn't lose my books, Mum, I cannot find one, singular BOOK. I never lost anything, why do you have to keep—"

This was a regular morning family conversation in the Kanda household. The shouted conversation was kept between up and down the stairs, between mother and son as the latter was getting late for classes.

"Ad, I'll get your books later. Chem, right? I'll find it and bring it over. Go, go, bye, love you!" Eleanor, the Japanese-French pregnant wife of Kanda Yuu, bid goodbye to her fifteen-year-old son with a kiss to the cheek, driving off soon after as she saw him enter the school building.

This woman was busy, busy, busy.

On her to-do list she had to find some thing at home, to email to Kanda at work, and visit the supermarket for the week's groceries. Another thing she needed to pay a visit to was the hospital she was registered to for a check up scan. Kanda wasn't coming with her to this one due to an important meeting. His job as a lawyer was enough to support the family, with hefty leftovers, so Eleanor didn't find a need for a job of her own, especially when Kanda insisted she didn't have to. They had been married for only ten years, five years after their son had been born. The reason for that was that Kanda needed to graduate from college and he his job set and secure before he took responsibility. He hasn't wanted to bite off more than he could chew. He wanted to be able to treat and protect them rightly, and for that he needed the education he wanted. He graduated law school two years ahead of everyone else, and now loved as one of the most impeccably successful lawyers of his time. After marriage they shared everything: bank accounts, money, shares, chores, duties, payments, homes, even clothes (down to the last hoodie). They were the type that shared everything, and they were happy that way. Lavi always said they were adorable together, as he had never seen his Yuu-Chan so positively positive before in the twenty three years they knew each other. (They met when they were nine, Adam came around when they were 17).

Speaking of that redheaded rebel...!

That old dumbass. Always getting in trouble and getting poor Allen to bail him out of jail every other week. The pair had been living together as partners for a very long time. They had their arguments and all, like any regular couple, but the two mutually decided for marriage almost three seconds after gay marriages became legal. They adopted a child, a three year old girl whose name was Jamie. They both loved the name dearly, as well as the child. They knew to treat her well; They were both teachers at different schools, Allen for the special needs children and Lavi at a high school preaching history, always making it interesting.

As Ellen Degeneres once said, "To ask which one is the guy in a same-sex relationship is to ask which chopstick is the fork." Even though Lavi agrees, if he were asked, he would reply that Allen was more of the mother figure to their child, as he was around more often and pampered her daily. Lavi dearest was more of the spoiling daddy figure. Allen was hardly entertained whenever Lavi played those practical jokes on her. Allen's brother, though, Daisya, was the spark of light and entertainment in the family. His wife, Paige, had been adopted, as well as he, but their legit child wasn't. They married at the age of 22, and had a child the next year, Alexander "Xander" Barry. They had been married seventeen years, their anniversary on their son's birthday. He was delightfully humorous, making everyone around him laugh all the time. He was never strict and likes playing pranks, especially to his wife and brothers, Allen and Kanda. Allen and Daisya had immediately become instant friends when the former had been adopted by Tiedoll a year after Marie's death.

Paige was a kind and friendly woman who would do anything and everything to keep her family safe. This included Kanda's, Lavi's and her own. She was a mother to all and all a child to her. She didn't mind you, just so long as she knew you were a good person: you could be gay, lesbian, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, atheist, black, white, heck even blue and she could still like you. You just had better have a good attitude around her.

**(A/N: please do not take any offence in this, as I meant for none on your race, or religion.**)

Mother of the year, 2013.

Kanda's email, check.

Supermarket, check.

Hospital, check.

Still 8-and-a-half months pregnant, check.

Can lift the world in one hand, check.

Find her son's chem book? Absolutely impossible.

She'd checked his room, the kitchen, his father's desk, the hall downstairs, the bathrooms, and even her own room. Where on earth could it be otherwise? She decided to call up her son's friends' houses. Luckily she got a hold of Lenalee, Adam's most loyal friend Rory's mom. She herself was very fond of the family, and Kanda trusted Lenalee with his own soul; they had been... Comrades to say the least. In that boarding school hell that they turned into a war zone, they had been comrades for seven years until they graduated one year after each other. Ever since then they had kept contact with each other until their sons became the best of friends. Very endearing indeed. She requested Lenalee to drop off the book at school, but Lenalee was more focused on how breathless Eleanor had sounded.

"And you're sure you're okay?" She was saying before she hung up.

"Yes, yeah don't worry. Seriously Lenalee. Yeah. Okay, bye."

Clicki.

8-months-and-a-half no more.

But still manages to get her son's book to school.

She waited ten minutes, tolerating as her body suffered from high levels of pain by contractions, and when she was sure the book had been delivered, she called Lenalee again.

"You know what? I think I need you to drive me to the hospital."

Time to deliver something else.

* * *

Although Paige was highly booked for the day, when Xander called to tell her he needed 40 cupcakes in the shapes of footballs by the end of today, what else was she supposed to do? Sure, she yelled at him for not telling her sooner, but Xander usually did get his way with his soft-hearted mother. So she took a day off from work to make her son's forty football field cakes. She called Lenalee on her phone to see if she wanted to help, but the three times she called the device was engaged. She was curious, but didn't intrude, so she called Allen, who she knew was a baking-lover and got off his shift an hour ago. He agreed to come over, and brought his icing supplies and kid along with him. He knew Paige adored her.

"Jamie!" Paige exclaimed, pulling her cheeks. Allen laughedg heartily at his daughter's confused face at the powdery hands of her aunt.

"What up?" He asked as the friends fist-bumped.

"Cupcaaaaaaakes! All forty right here right now, buddy!"

They began the baking process.

Needless to mention, the pair had spent a little less than half the time splattering flour and oil at each other. Some icing even ended up on Allen's hair. He had made absolute sure that no ingredient had landed at his curiously curious baby girl's clothes or hair.

It took almost two hours for the final product to exit the heated oven, and the last speck of dusty flour rubbed off the counter, and by that time it was only a mere five minutes before Xander and his friends would enter the front door.

Well, she had managed it.

All was well again.

So far.

* * *

School was nearly over, Xander had invited a lot of the football players to his house for the victorious game that day. Amongst them were Adam and Rory. When he was asked, Adam was sure his mother would allow him; he was basically just going to his cousin's house. He accepted the offer. That changed when Adam caught his dad leaning on their car, waiting for him instead of his mom.

"Why're you here? I can just walk home." The son pointed out.

"Get in kid." Kanda opened him a door. "We're seeing your mother at the hospital."

"Don't tell me she—"

"She didn't have another accident you fool. Get in the car."

"Dad—"

"She's fine. We're going and seeing your new sibling."

The car fell onto silence as the vehicle slipped into the highway. It was a few minutes more of driving when Adam decided to question the birth.

"Hey dad?"

"Hm?"

"Sister?"

"Good guess."

"Have you named her yet?"

"We thought you'd like to name her."

"Really?"

"Um-hm."

"I'll think about it. How about Baka?"

"Adam!" Kanda frowned at him, braking hard at a red light.

"I'm kidding! I'll think about it."

* * *

"LAVI!" Allen yelled, jiggling a baby on one hip, shopping bags balanced on the other, and a briefcase and phones somehow otherwise. "Take something off my hands, will ya?"

Lavi casually strolled by with his can of Dr. Pepper.

"Lavi," Allen strained through the pain of the weight on his arms.

"Yeah babe?"

"Get this stuff off me."

"Sure," Lavi drank from his soda, pulling a grocery bag and two phones off his partner's burden.

"Lavi!"

"What, babe?"

"Get it ALL off! Except my baby. My baby is mine." Jamie laughed at her dad and choking his neck with a tight hug. "DADDY!"

Lavi gave a faux rejected puppy look and gathered the things off Allen, leaving Jamie. He dragged his feet along with him on his way to the kitchen, head bowed in sadness. He gave a short sniff.

"Papa?" Jamie questioned. "Papa!" The young toddler was close to tears. "Papaaaa!"

Lavi swirled around on his heel, expecting the response. He jazz-hands-ed at her, putting a grin on her face. "Papa!" She climbed into his arms. Allen smirked.

"Good luck putting those on the table. And by the way, I'm still the better parent." Allen stuck out his tongue while Jamie was too preoccupied to see.

"Yes, ma'am." Lavi snickered.

Allen pretended to look offended, walking off bristly to cook up dinner. "By the way have you heard? Eleanor had her baby."

Lavi whirled around, surprised. "What? You really are the gossiper aren't you?" It was a joke, but it earned a skeptical eyebrow lift from his partner.

"Kanda said he called everyone, but one particular rabbit didn't bother picking up?"

"Yuu called? Woohoo! I'll call him back! I'll congratulate him on the baby—?"

"Girl"

"Yuu has a daughter? Yuu has a DAUGHTER! Woohoo!" He span around himself multiple times, making Jamie dizzy.

"Daddy!" She called for Allen. "Help!"

* * *

"Mum!"

"Mrs Barry?"

"Yo! Ms B!"

"Yes?"

"More coke?"

"More crisps, please?"

"How are you?"

"Jesus, Lord, Xander! I'm going to the grocery downstairs. Don't. Call. And keep this place in tact, you hear me, footballers? This place shouldn't be turned upside-down! Bye!"

The Barry family had always been very close to the football team, as Daisya was the coach. Many players called Mrs Barry 'Mom' or 'Mrs Coach' sometimes. So no one was shy to ask for more as if they were her children.

They were also not unfamiliar with her wrath. She didn't embarrass her child, but she was a huge part of Xander's life, so she knew all his friends. She was a great part on most parties. As caretaker, she hosted all the celebrations. And the teammates liked her. And respected her. And we're scared of her.

So try took her warning for the house caring very seriously.

'Best. Mom. Ever.' Xander grinned as he shook his head.

* * *

A soft knock sounded from the doorway.

"Hello?"

"Come in," a bright voice allowed from inside the private room. Adam recognized it as not his mother's, worried and disappointed at the same time.

"Is she up, Mrs Bayfield?" Kanda asked the midwife as he walked trough the doorway, having parked the car.

"Yep," the nurse confirmed. "But don't disturb her!"

Adam nodded quickly. She was scary. The nurse shook her head.

"Mrs Kanda. Your family?"

"Adam? Come here." Eleanor pat the sheets next to her as she scored to the side.

"Don't need to move, ma." He said as he sat beside her where she had gestured to, smiling softly at his beautiful mother.

"Did you get your book? Aunty Lena sent it over, I think."

"Mom." Adam laughed. "You sent me my books when you were about to have a kid? You're nuts."

She slapped her son upside the head playfully. "Ungrateful boy," she laughed, her head collapsing on the pillow behind her. "Want to see your sister?"

He nodded and she pushed the nurse's button to call one in, asking for the child. They brought her inside a clear boxy thingy with a little pink hat sheltering her little pink head from the cold of the room. The hat was decorated in a small flower, but in the design Adam saw what none other did: a little pink 'A'. A small birthmark— a line— ran across her face.

"Alma." He said.

There was a silence in the room as the couple looked at each other.

"What?" Kanda asked.

"Alma. That's her name. Nourishing, kind, and graceful. I like it."

"Yuu?" Eleanor looked at her husband questioningly.

"I like it.";"I do, too." They agreed.

"Alma Kanda, welcome to the world," the nurse smiled as she wrote down the birth certificate.

* * *

**The nominees:**

**• Eleanor Kanda; Delivering a book before a baby for her son's exams.**  
**• Paige Barry; preparing 40 large cupcakes in an hour for her son when it would take three.**  
**• Allen Walker; sheltering and helping their child when he had to suffer himself.**

**The votes; you decide! Leave a review for which of the mothers best deserves the title 'Mother of the Year' for her recorded acts!**

* * *

"Happy Mothers' Day!" Yelled the football team.

Mrs. Barry had just re-entered the home with the extra snacks for her guests when she heard the agitating and heart-pounding screech of fourteen boys. Despite herself she nearly leapt into the ceiling fan with the paper bags along with her.

"You guys!" Paige was close to faux tears in gratitude for the team—and their coach her husband. She proceeded to hug the fourteen guys in her house while passing around drinks for the to enjoy.

She really was the most beautiful, organised, and wonderful lady he had ever met, in Xander's point of view. He and his father had gone out of their way to get her the biggest wreath possible in town, which would be waiting for her un her locked room alongside the not-too-expensive but not-too-cheap gold necklace handcrafted from Dubai. A banner hung from the ceiling inside; Mothers Day Joy. (It was the only thing they could find.) He was satisfied with the effort he put into the job, and he hoped his mom would be too.

"Psst! Jamie!" Lavi called at somewhat late at night.

"Papa?" The girl said loudly.

"Ssh! Want to get Daddy a surprise gift? It's a holiday for him."

"Yes! Yes!"

"Ssh! Let's go to the mall, okay?"

Jamie nodded silently and pulled on her coat, with too much energy from a three year old. Lavi pulled her out of the house and quickly buckled her into her car seat. She didn't struggle with it this time as she usually did, as she was excited.

"Papa, lets go, lets go!"

It was a short drive to the mall, and Jamie from the back was constantly chattering in delight over getting her Daddy a gift from her and Papa.

* * *

It was rare, but as the baby was perfectly healthy and in no need for special care, Eleanor was released that very day. She clutched her new baby close other chest as Kanda drive with Adam riding shotgun. It was a short drive home, thankfully, but nonetheless filled with speed bumps and the like. Alma, as they had decided, would clutch together her fingers into fists as they neared each speed bump, squealing in discomfort as they ran over one, even though Kanda went slow over them.

As he pulled into their driveway, she shut up, having fallen asleep, but Kanda knew it would be a long night. And it would be the first for months to come.

Eleanor with Alma was the first to enter. The lights were dimmed and pink candles were lit all over the house. Odourless flowers (red, yellow, and pink roses, daffodils, lilies, etc. ) were arranged in vases and other arrangements. They hasn't gotten her a gift yet, but that was coming soon.

* * *

Mrs. Barry freaked when she saw the wreath, hugging her son for the first time in months. She kissed her husband for the well put effort ("Ugh, Mom, Dad, stop. Bye.")

It had been late when their guests had left, even later until Paige finished the dishes and cleaning. She was just about ready to drop dead on her bed when the necklace shimmered into her eyes. She loved it a lot, so afterwards, when she had freshened herself up after a few minutes, she took Xander and Daisya out to ice cream, her treat. They reunited and bonded like they hadn't been since Xander's 14th birthday, when the teenagerness kicked in. It was a nice feeling, he noted, and he could get used to it— again. And what's the harm in hugging the best mom ever? Nothing, right?

* * *

"Hey Jamie?" Lavi called from a few feet away. "Do you like this jacket?" He held it up for her to see. It was a dark, navy blue jock jacket with a red collar-ish thing. The letter A stood out clearly, also in red. Lavi really liked it, and could also imagine his partner wearing it, looking glamourously amazing— wait ugh that sounded too gay.

Wait he was gay.

But not that much.

Was he?

Whatever.

The only problem was, that of all the items — shoes, jackets, ties, shirts, books, etc— Lavi had picked out, Jamie would give him that "look" and shake her head dominantly at her papa. This time, her eyes widened, and when Lavi thought her eyes might just pop out of her skull, they smalled again, and she let out a puff of air from her mouth, deliberately getting his hopes up before a bossy, "Nope." He hoped it was a family gene of hers and not something she learnt from Lenalee, or he'd probably virtually strangle her through Skype.

But she then picked up a sweater, and Lavi's mind just went all: "Dude you just got owneeeeeed. By a three year old guuuuuuurl."

* * *

When Mrs. Kanda was brought back into the comfort of her home, her two boys made sure she was more comfortable than ever before, especially as they brought the new addition of the family silently through the doors of the master bedroom. The small child was wrapped cozily in her dad's arm, bared of the standardised blanket because the room was warm enough for her to be comfortable in without it. She wore a tiny, tiny tiny tiny blue dress with little white booties. Around her head was a blue bow. A small note was pinned to her dress; "Happy Mothers' Day, Mommy! We love you! - Adam and Alma."

It was so amazing, Eleanor had happy tears threatening to spill from the sides of her eyes as she hugged both her kids. She knew she could never be able to express her full limit of love to them, no matter how hard she squeezed them in the hugs she gave, or how much she kissed them, even if their faces became permanently stained in her toffee tango lipstick. Because they were her children. Hers, and the one man she loved. They were all theirs, and nobody could love, adore, pray, worry, or care about them more then her and Kanda.

Adam suddenly said from beneath his mother's hold: "Do I still have to go to school tomorrow?"

* * *

**Leave the votes in the reviews, please!**


	6. Fathers' Day

**Fathers' Day****  
****June 16th****  
****_****  
****Listen guys. I'm not trying to be controversial here. It's just a story. I'm spewing out random ideas.**

* * *

****_  
Lavi's children never got to celebrate Fathers' Day with their dad. He was always travelling, mostly to Afghanistan as a medic for the military. He was hardly home, and when he was, he was too hellbent on finishing his research left behind for him by his grandad, the Bookman. Other times he was too tired to leave his bed because of this said research. When he finally was, it was a few days before he had to return to work. His home was always empty with the loss of the man of the house, but nonetheless his wife Jenny was an optimistic woman. She was a dancer and choreographer in LA. Of her personality: funny, lively and joyful— and loved puns. She was very punny. She kept the children happy, and her one and only fear was that by the time her husband was free off the army, his children would have grown out of loving their dad.

* * *

Jaya was a worrier. Not a warrior, mind you. That was her husband. She was a worrier. She was worried for the seven year old boy waiting for her at the autism centre where he was learning. She was worried that he would get worried when she came late to the centre because she was stuck at the firm. She was worried that she'd never get to finish this case with all the stress in her head. She was worried that she'd get fired off this case by the law firm if she bunked to get her kid early— it was some lousy Hollywood star (She enjoyed being a lawyer. That wasn't fair at all.) She was worried that her twin Jenny might get pregnant again by her stupid husband (the jokester Lavi, of course) when he came back and have to deal with a third child while he was off to Iraq or something (That had happened every time Lavi had returned: get her pregnant, leave back for the military without realising it, not seeing his kid for a long time. It would be the forth time this time, as they'd had a child born stillborn, who would have been the middle child) She was worried, lastly, that her own husband in the military might never return to her again after the tour to Afghanistan this year. There was a price being Second Lieutenant to the army , and that was being sacrificial. She was worried that he'd sacrifice his life for one of the younger soldiers. She was very, very worried that their autistic child might have a breakdown when he learnt he'd never see his dad again. Her sister was the optimistic one, not her. Jenny would say that Kanda was too stubborn too die, that he would never leave them behind, because it was in his job description. He was Dad, and that no matter how many other people he was fighting for and protect, he'd always protect them the most. Jaya would say that Kanda could be dying at that very moment in a gun raid in the heat with no water while she lavishly bathes in an air condition. While she wholeheartedly drank to her body's desire until her thirst was quenched.

Jaya only hoped, for once, that her sister was right.

* * *

But, after all, this narration was made for fathers, rather than husband. We must return to that concept:

A loud warning whistle blew inside his ear through the earpiece, not surprising Kanda but setting his on higher guard. It was his turn patrolling the camp on night shift, with three others. He lifted the rifle in his arms, aiming for a figure nearing. He was ready to shoot, but instinct told him to wait.

"Hold fire!" He yelled to the others, knowing they wouldn't hesitate. He felt his heart drop as the figure neared, a short, clumsy physique, and a gun sounded. The silhouette fell, letting out a cry. It was a child.

"I said hold fire, fucking idiot!" Kanda yelled as he slammed his weapon into the shooter's head, throwing him unconscious.

"DAWSON!" He barked. A soldier immediately saluted at his side.

"SIR!"

"Get this FUCKING IDIOT inside tent D. Put some ice on his fucking empty hollow head."

"Yes, SIR!"

The child cried out again, and Kanda ran towards the shot body. It was only a graze against the kid's shoulder, but for someone that age it would probably feel like the worst injury ever. A loud whimper escaped the kid's lips as the arm reached out to pull the body away from what it thought was enemies. Kanda looked at the child, estimating the age to be not more than a mere eight years.

"Sh," he said, soothingly. "I'm not going to hurt you." The child whimpered again, backing away. Kanda pulled out his torch, shining it into the face but away from the eyes. It was a girl, her hair cascading down her shoulders. She lifted her arm to shield her face from the light, but her body twisted in pain as Kanda lifted her off her back, pulling her into his arm as he carried her to the medical tent.

"Can you understand me?"

The girl nodded.

"You're safe. Don't worry."

The girl nodded uneasily, wiggling into Kanda's chest, because he was warmer than she was. Her arm was left hanging limp on the other side. It reminded him of the way his own son would cling to him in the middle of the night when he was putting him to sleep.

"Bookman." Kanda whispered into a white, isolated tent at the back of the camp when he reached it. "Get your ass up." When there was no answer, the head of the squad kicked the hard canvas.

"Stupid book freak, get out of bed, it's an emergency!"

Upon hearing this a redheaded medic scrambled out of bed groggily, saluting to his captain and best friend. "What do you want, Grumpy?"

"Don't talk to me like that, I'm your fucking captain. Get this kid inside the tent before she dies or something, or before Captain wakes."

The girl squealed in terror.

* * *

It was in the local news the next morning that fathers from the army would be relieved of their patriotic duties to return to their families for a week orbiting Fathers' Day.

Jenny's kids, five year old Henry and twelve year old Rowena (Lavi was an obvious history lover) were oblivious about their dad's return. It was a tradition of their mom's to keep it from the children when Lavi was returning. Superstition was all it was.

Jaya's kid, Blaine, was missing his father to bits. He didn't know either. To him mommy was bad cop, daddy good cop. Daddy got him everything he wanted, and mommy was just evil, telling what he can't do or can't get, even though at his age he didn't understand it was for his own good. Mostly the boy was interested in books —like most autistic children get attached and obsessed to one hobby — so of course Jaya would tell him to stop reading at three am with the lights off when he could ruin his eyes. Of course she's going to deny him some weird books he has no idea of when he picks them up because they have pretty covers. Of course, because she was his mom. Kanda was the dad. Duh he was going to let the kid read in the living room in the night until his eyes drooped. Still no on the weird books, but you always agree with daddy's opinion, because he was never there. Make him happy. Make him the good cop.

Well, fine, she was happy being the bad cop anyways.

So she kept it a secret that good cop was returning, to act as her little boy's little surprise.

* * *

Rowena Bookman was nearly a teenager.

"Watch this one," people would say.

Her mother just usually smiled and nodded off the useless advice.

"As soon as they become teens— BAM! Their personality? Nada. Nothing. They're all typical that way."

"—This one, especially, with no dad—"

"—horrible things, these teenagers do—"

"—drugs—"

"—smoking—"

"—my own teen—"

STOP!

It really disturbed her that her mother might believe that she'd become this PMSing bitch who'd ignore her mother. At least her dad was coming home for Fathers' Day. Hopefully he could be gullible enough to guilt-trip with the name "Father" in the holiday and decide not to return to his history crap and leave them let down this time.

Her brother Henry would have started screaming in excitement. Last time, he had Skyped their dad every. Single. Night after he heard the news. He had been so excited he didn't even sleep until the doctors allowed Mrs. Bookman to slip a sleeping pill in the kid's milk. He had been driving her NUTS! He was always hyper and asked about calling his dad every hour.

This time her mom just keep it a secret, but that didn't stop Rowena. She was a curious one who loved reading the papers, especially the part where they keep up on the military news. She usually did keep an eye out in the 'recent deaths' department, looking out for her father's, uncle's, and grandpas Tiedoll's and Cross' faces.

Thankfully she never did come across those names.

* * *

Froi Tiedoll and Cross Marian were partners. Not in crime; in leadership. They maintained the troops in training at boot camp, and were widely known as the best in the force for their combat skills.

Allen Walker, head management of weapons, was foster son to Cross. He shot his first gun at the age of seven. Unfortunately he didn't have an idea of what the weapon was and ended up fatally injuring his mother, which lead to a premature death six days later. Since then, he had been in three different foster homes: Mr. Adam Earl's, Mana's, and this one: Cross's. So far Cross had been the most hospitable toward him, which was saying something. Cross was also the boy's mother's cousin twice removed (or something similar). He did love the kid —deep deep down— so he trained him in the art of gun-wielding. It was hard for the boy to face such a weapon even after ten years of trauma and therapy, so the process started off slow, but Cross was patient. By the end of the home-schooling gun treatment, Allen could take apart and re-assemble any gun within the maximum span of one minute. With more hard training Allen managed to make it into the army, and stood out for his awesome gun skills. A year later he was offered the position of everything to do with guns: delivering, handling, packaging, and fixing them. His father Marian could never be more proud— who cares if he didn't show it?

This Fathers' Day season, Allen wanted to show his gratitude to Cross for landing him a position that had lasted him a good five years, and counting.

He'd gotten Cross the finest wine he could find in the area and shipped it off to him at the boot camp, where Allen had recommended him. On the beverage he slipped in a note, hidden in the ribbon like he had been taught (also by Cross) to do when the message was to be kept private. It read: "Fuck off, Cross, and don't kill yourself. -Al"

Kanda was more discreet on showing his hate for Tiedoll: he pretended he didn't even exist. Tiedoll never seemed fazed, though. Even in the middle of a random courtyard at the training base would Froi not miss the chance to express his undying love for his adoptive child. Kanda did not like that. (Kanda reckoned Daisya would prefer dying in that alleyway three years ago all over again than take one of Tiedoll's affectionate public hugs).

* * *

With the child secured on a canvas-covered iron table, Lavi analysed her condition. The bullet that had carved through her skin was of good quality but the metal had not kept itself together. Partial flecks were pushed into the girl's skin, whose name they learnt was Alia. Kanda paced the the length of the tent, glancing at his watch every few minutes, sometimes seconds. Lavi had out his tweezers and had commenced releasing the metal from its flesh-cage. Beads of sweat cascaded down his back, hard concentration obvious on his face. With an exasperated sigh he slammed the tool on a table, removing the microscopic spectacles from his face.

"Second Lieutenant I suggest to stop the merry-go-round act before you get yourself dizzy." Lavi's tone wasn't happy.

"Shut up Rabbit, nothing's gonna happen to me, just focus on the girl."

"You're making me lose concentration—"

"You're a fucking Bookman, you are—"

"Not invincible!" Lavi yelled. "Stop pacing, Kanda!"

Kanda plopped into a seat not too far from the makeshift bed with a heavy sigh on his lips.

"You're thinking of—"

"Blaine? Yeah."

"Me too, Row and Hen. Missing them like hell." Lavi's eyebrows furrowed as he placed together stitches on the wound across Alia's shoulder. She was knocked out with anaesthetics for the pain.

"I remember Henry Skyping me everyday. And he used to be so hyper Jen had to drag the laptop up and down the stairs behind him until he fell and had to get ten stitches on his cheek. I remember how Rowena yells at Henry every time he breaks her phone, and she'd Skype and ask for another while he threw spare parts at her. She got three stitches above her eye. Remember?"

Lavi tore the thread between his teeth as he knotted it.

Unfortunately Kanda was there behind Lavi on the computer when that happened.

Rowena ended up getting a new phone for that.

Both Lavi's kids had stitches and it was only time until Blaine received some too with the energy that was on the twin-sister-mothers' family genes. Thankfully Blaine had taken to him in genetics, but pretty soon Henry was going to throw something at his kid. Any day now. Of that he was sure.

Man, he missed his family.

But he'd be back soon.

* * *

There was another raid that night while Kanda was on duty. With his gun, he shot down tens of people who tried burning down their camp. They screamed profanities about thieves and children, and Kanda could have facepalmed if he wasn't holding a shotgun.

They were looking for their child.

By the time the first three men had been killed, the rest of the troops had been shook out of their peaceful tidings and were joining the fight. Firm, steady orders being commanded through his earpiece; Kanda obeyed. The fight lasted well into the night, and into the dawn. As the sun rose slowly, Kanda heard a scream. A bone-chilling, childish cry of a girl.

She had been left in the medical tent. Someone of the soldiers must have found her.

Eyes widened, Kanda made a split decision. He turned rapidly, and with agility of only a well-trained militant he ran. He ran as fast as if his very own child was crying out to him, because he knew they'd kill her. Wind echoed in his ears and his heart pounded heavily against his ribs. A bullet ricochet off the bullet proof vest he wore beneath his uniform, but as another soared through the air it caught him in the right shoulder, but he didn't fall. He stumbled a little, but did not fall. He felt the blood drip down his arm. He continued the run toward the tent. When it came into view, the cries restarted, muffled by a cloth. The canvas was bloodied. He pushed it away and aimed his left hand (his second hand) at one of his own, the one who held the girl.

"Put," he punctuated the word with a cock of the gun. "The girl down."

The stunned man had the girl held by the underarms, in one of his arms, a gun pointed her way. A man that looked just like her held a knife in his sweaty palm. Her father. Kanda's aim faltered, but he returned it to its stiff hold seconds later. It was his left hand, but his shooting ability was ambidextrous.

What he didn't realise, or care, was that he was pointing his gun at was his captain. Two statuses above him. Shit.

He gestured to the child's father to wait, but the man didn't seem to trust him.

"Captain." Kanda started. "What are you doing?"

Even though they had been trained to, Kanda completely looked over the formal and polite soldier talk.

With a cruel, vengeful smile, the Captain pointed his gun towards the two men challenging him. He shot, and a body fell to the floor— lifeless.

* * *

Late at night Friday, Jaya received an urgent and solemn call about her husband.

When Jenny met up with Jaya the following day (they were easy-access —neighbours— and made plans together often) Jaya was miserably distraught.

She had just gotten up from her near sleepless night— it wasn't sleepless until the call.

The twins had a particular sisterly bond like most didn't. They shared everything from a very young age. Sure, they fought, but not like other siblings did. As children you'd find them in each other's embrace on the grass naming clouds after themselves.

They shared everything of their personal lives with each other. Being twins, that was expected. But them, every single detail. (Except mutual marital agreements, duh).

Except today. Jaya seemed positively shut up. She didn't get out of bed until late, sulking beneath the sheets. Jenny had to take Blaine to school.

Jaya never did that before. She's never let her child's responsibility fall into anyone else's hands, despite the usual cousinly sleepover, but that also was kept at their house, not Jenny's.

All Jenny knew was Kanda was in trouble. That was the only explanation.

* * *

"DADDY!" Henry yelled into the computer.

"Hey, babe! What's up?"

"Hey, Dad! Guess what!"

"What, kiddo?"

"No no no Dad, guess."

"You didn't— oh you did!" Lavi's guess was spot-on.

Together, they yelled, "TOOTHPASTE~"

With matching big goofy smiles, father and son had a long, interesting conversation about toothpaste, curtains, and suitcases. Jenny decided she'd ask him last night's occurrence after both her children were done talking to their dad.

Rowena was enthusiastic for this talk; he was returning in three days for Father's Day, but she decided not to show it. He'd probably realise that they —well, she—was planning a surprise party for him. (She didn't want her mother figuring it out either).

"Hey Daddy," Rowena smiled at her nails, pulling the polish brush over them. She didn't even look at him.

"Rowena Adeline Bookman!" Her mother hissed. Rowena ignored her.

"Hey sweetheart! How's stuff?" Lavi decided to ignore the fact that his daughter wasn't paying him any attention, especially since the last time they had talked was a month ago. He pouted playfully into the camera, his one eye sprouting with fake tears as he opened it wide in a puppy dog face.

There was a silence as Rowena painted more nails. Lavi held the face but glanced at Jenny behind his daughter. She only shrugged.

"Hey Daddy?" She called after a while, and held up her hand. "Do you like this colour on me?"

Lavi dropped the face as she beamed at him through the camera, a smile that made his heart pound. Even after almost thirteen years if that smile he hadn't gotten used to that pounding every time his daughter smiled. He grinned cheekily at her as he inspected the white roses that studded her nails.

"They're beautiful darling."

"Thank you Daddy." She beamed again and aimed a kiss at the camera. "Good night." She said, and left for bed. 'Bed' was actually decorating the upstairs hall behind her mother's back. Despite what everybody said or thought, she still loved her dad.

Once Rowena was gone, Henry made it his job to stay behind to bother his mother.

"Henry, to your room.l

"Nuh uh"

"Oh my God, Lavi, tell him something."

"The kid can stay!"

"You know what? Fine! How is everything? And Kanda?"

There was a long silence on the other sure and Lavi's image scrambled as he frowned distinctly.

"Henry," he said. "Go to your room."

"Daddy, I —"

"Henry. Now." There was steel in his voice, an unusual thing to be heard in a conversation including Lavi. As Henry left —and closed the door behind him bless his cotton socks— there was a following silence. It was weird, there never were any silences in the Bookman family Skype sessions.

"Lavi?" Jenny's voice was heavy with worry.

"Kanda was involved in an enemy night raid—"

"KANDA TURNED AGAINST YOU GUYS?"

"What? No! I... I- I mean that... There was a raid. The details... Are confidentialish, but he got hit, and bad. Jen, he's really hurt. He's... he's been shot. In a vital survival area. They say he might be paralysed—"

"What?!"

"But he still hasn't woken up..."

"Good God—"

"He might not make it Jen. I don't see how he can make it!"

"Don't— don't you ever say that again Lavi Bookman. Don't you dare."

Lavi saluted, albeit respectfully. "I promise Madam Bookman."

"Good."

"Aunty?" Jenny flipped around; Lavi's eyes widened and tried to look from behind her. "Where's my daddy?"

Behind Blaine, stood a very pale Jaya.

* * *

Tiedoll was busy training his newbies when he got the call. Only direct family were informed of the news; Jaya and himself. Lavi was already out with him on the battlefield. He already knew.

But Kanda had woken up. Two days after the accident, twenty hours before he could head back home, Kanda had woken up. With his right arm temporarily paralysed, he was going to be saying home for much longer than anyone had expected.

It was very soon until Kanda and Lavi would be deployed from Afghanistan back to the US. It was only a matter of hours until Kanda could see his family again. When he woke up, the first thing that sparked in his brain was that he could see Blaine's happy young face again. To see that bright, intelligent smile always lightened whatever load Kanda was bearing at the moment. He couldn't wait to see him again.

His second thought was that he was alive. Most people in that position, in their mind's way of dealing with shock, would have not recovered the memories of the night they were shot down. For Kanda... Everything was clear. Not a single memory escaped his mind. The initial pain, and then the shock, of a long-range gun aimed and shot at his at close-range. It was agonizing. The worst part was believing that he'd never get a chance to see his family (whether or not that included Lavi) or at least say goodbye. Kanda Yuu was not a sentimental person, but the thought of leaving his pride and joy behind unsupported in another country without seeing their faces one last time was horrifying.

He remembered the small picture he had brought with him the last time that lived in his back pocket. He wanted to tug it out to get a look at his family's smiling faces, but as he tried, he felt a sharp pain shoot up his arm. He didn't cry out, but he was close to. It had been a long time since he'd felt like that. Like he was actually going to express his weakness and pain to others. After that, he lost movement in his entire arm, starting from the base of his neck. He didn't feel anything either.

When Lavi entered the tent he looked positively scared. Scared, worried, and tired.

"We leave Afghanistan in 20 hours, Yuu."

"Lavi.." Kanda mumbled. "What happened?"

"You were shot."

"I know, Fucktard, after that."

That little old nickname put a small smile on Lavi's face, even though it didn't last long.

"You tell me, Yuu."

"I—I was shot... And then I was... Still awake and you were there? You were there right? And you told me not to die, which obviously Fucktard, wasn't going to happen— Someone... Tried... Cutting my gut open or something— to get the bullet out—"

"You were awake?!"

"It fucking hurt— and then the stitches— and then it was all black, but I remember Jaya's voice—"

"Kanda?"

Kanda looked at him from his spot on the bed, not realising that it was the longest conversation they had positively upheld "What?"

"That girl—"

"What happened?!" Kanda tried to shoot up into a sitting position but the gunshot hole in his stomach prevented him from doing that.

"Careful, Yuu. The girl went home with that guy. He was her father. He wanted me to give you his thanks for taking care of her for him. She tends to wander around their village a lot during the night, and she got lost. The villagers thought we stole her, because she ended up walking almost 10 miles all through the night."

"Che, kids."

"You have one."

"He's not an idiot."

Lavi snorted. "Whatever you say, man." Kanda threw a pencil at him. "My kids are looney in the head, but at least I'll admit it."

"Just like you."

"Shut up, Yuu."

There was a brief silence, and then: "We're going home."

"Yeah."

"Soon."

"Soon."

* * *

"Mommy," Blaine poked his head from the doorway as he opened the door his mother and aunt sat, talking quietly. It was the afternoon. Blaine's slurred speech caught Jaya's attention quickly, as he said "I'm hungry."

As her sister got up to make something for her child's lunch, Jenny thought over the day's dilemmas.

First, the government had phoned and informed Jaya that her husband got shot, and gave their deepest concern and condolences. No one had told her he was still alive. Thankfully she never found it the right time to inform Blaine. For his father to be gone from his life? It'd be pure torture.

Jaya was also slightly miffed that Jenny had been snooping around to get information that was— as Lavi put it— confidentialish. On top of all that, Blaine, despite being the autistic child he was, completely understood that his father had gone through a lot of pain and was close to dying. It was not going to be easy explaining why or how, but at least Kanda's doctor— Lavi — had given him the all-clear for travel overseas. Kanda was returning along with the other 30 or so dads in the squad granted deployment, and they were going to remove the bullet from his arm in a hospital in the States. Lavi and Kanda's flight was the same, and the mothers were going to take the children on a 'surprise trip' to a camp somewhere. They didn't know they were going to be collecting their well-missed fathers from the airport, but it sure would be refreshing to see their genuine smiles when they did.

"Daddy?" Blaine said cautiously into the microphone connected to the computer. It was another six hours before the plane left for the US, and Kanda was free to walk on one crutch. He was at the airport terminal already, awaiting the flight but dreading the next six boring hours.

"Hey kiddo." Kanda nodded toward the screen, where his son and wife sat side by side.

"I miss you."

"I miss you too, babe. You'll see me soon, though, I promise."

"Dad?" Blaine asked suddenly as he spun a mini car around by flipping his finger on it.

"Yeah?"

"Aunty Jenny says you're sick. Is Daddy sick?"

The pain in his son's voice made Kanda's heart contract painfully. It would only hurt more, Kanda realised, if he didn't tell Blaine the truth right now. "Yeah, kid. I'm sick."

"How?"

"I... Got shot..."

"Kanda Yuu!" Childish strictness was evident in the boy's voice. "I told you not to hurt yourself, or else mister!" Kanda couldn't help but crack a warm smile while his wife laughed.

"Or else what, kiddo?" Right now, it was nothing but his parents teasing him playfully.

"Or else I'll hug you until you become teddy bear fluff." Blaine pouted, obviously mad that his parents were playing around while he was being serious.

"Okay kid. Whatever you say."

"Next time I see you, 'kay Daddy?"

"Promise you can turn me into teddy bear fluff."

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!" Rowena yelled. Her mother had just started a conversation with her husband when she started yelling. She ran into the room, face sullen. Rowena grabbed one of the earbuds her mother was using.

"What happened, sweetie?"

"Henry, Dad. Henry happened. Your freakish son is the freaking devil!" Rowena screamed, clutching her hair with a frustrated look.

"What now, sweetie?"

"Daddy he trashed my room! You know what he was looking for? Do you?! He was looking for my—"

"TOOTHPASTE!" Her dad yelled.

"—TOOTHPASTE!" She completed just as he said the word. "Dad. Not funny."

Lavi was clutching his stomach as he laughed, almost rolling off his plastic chair in hysteria. "Hahahahahaah—" he paused for a breath "—HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Daaaaaaaad!" Rowena whined. She saw the case was useless, so turned to face her mother. Jenny put her hands up in the surrender gesture. "Talk to your father. Don't involve me in this." She stood to make dinner. One would think she was an irresponsible mother, but usually Lavi could handle these situations better, so she was going to just leave him to it.

"Daddyy~" Rowena pouted, knowing her dad couldn't deny a yes to that face. "Tell Henry something."

"Henry!" Lavi yelled as if his voice could tech Henry's room. Rowena snickered, plugged out the headphones ("That was my ear Daddy."), turned the volume up, and asked him to try again.

"Henry!"

"Yes, Papa?" Henry stuck his head out from behind the doorway.

"Good job, buddy." He said, and screen-high-fived his younger kid— he basically just slapped his hand on his computer's camera; Henry did the same— while Rowena groaned in agitation. "Daddy!" She scolded.

"Henry. You are a bad boy. Don't ruin your sister's room again—"

"Don't even enter it, little bastard—"

"I'm pretty sure your mother and I were married, Ro, when we had your brother; don't say that—"

"— And usually we humans keep toothpaste in the bathroom, thank you very much—"

"— And that wasn't a very nice word, but whatever—"

"But Papa, it was a bad word she should get in trouble—"

"I should not—!"

"GOOD GOD SHUT UP!" Two voices merged and yelled at the computer screen— Kanda's and Jenny's.

"Uncle Kanda!" The two kids yelled in excitement. They ignored their mother and beamed at the laptop.

"Henry, don't go in Rowena's room again, okay?"

"Yes Papa," Henry pretended to sulk.

"And Ro. Don't say that again."

"Yes Daddy."

"Good. Now I love you both." He flew little air kisses into the camera, and asked for their mother, as they hasn't had a normal conversation "since you guys have been born." (Quote quote Lavi.)

"Daddy," Rowena laughed. "You flatter us."

"Don't I." He smirked.

* * *

Forty minutes more would let Kanda and Lavi see their families again.

The feeling was thrilling. Any minute, and the plane— which had stalled by an hour— would land safely on their home country, in their state, sixty seven blocks away from their houses. They'd go through customs quite quickly (military access and all) and their only luggage was the carry-on they each brought. The plane of eager soldiers finally halted, and they were ready to go. As quickly as possible, they headed toward the doors and felt a tingle in each of their hearts; they were safe. They were home. No more gunshots. No more dying. Just home.

"Mom, why are we at the airport? You said you'd take me to the mall! Mum!"

Jenny had enough of the rambling. Jaya nearly laughed at her sister's agitation, but decided it was better not to. Her own child would one day become something of the same sort.

"Because, dearie," Jaya told her niece, "we're picking up a package from over-seas."

"I didn't know they came at the airport," Henry frowned.

"They usually don't," Jaya smiled, "But these are special packages. One for me, one for your mummy."

"What about us?" Blaine asked, referring to the three kids. "What do we get?"

"You share with us, baby kid." Jenny reassured.

"Promise?"— Blaine was very fond of promises.

"Promise," the twins said, and Blaine's face broke into the biggest smile— white shining teeth and all— and gasped.

It was odd; they hadn't said anything to make him that happy—

Blaine ran past his mother, confusing her. He didn't stop running, not until he reached the open arms of a particular soldier waiting for him. "Daddy," Blaine sobbed. Kanda nodded, his face buried into his son's hair.

Jaya risked a photo before a youngling tear slipped from her eye. Kanda saw we and welcomed her into their hug, kissed her lips once and squeezed his son into a tighter embrace.

Lavi was crowded. A scream of excitement from Henry bought them the attention of the entire lobby. Rowena followed him close behind as she ran to her dad. Even if she expected him she was ecstatic. He held them both as Jenny held him from the back. Both families were crouched by the floor, wives in tears, husbands smiling— even Kanda.

Some random lady took a picture of the redheads uniting.

Soon, as the two families piled into one car, Kanda and Lavi fist-bumped. "Made it through one more tour," Lavi stated.

"Yeah," Kanda slapped his back and got into the back of the car with Jaya, Lavi in the passenger beside Jenny, the one driving.

It was a long but not interminable drive— as per the usual of the family, the two hour trip was filled with music, shouting, and loud joking. As the prankster was home, most of the puns and jokes came from him, until Lavi eventually fell asleep sprawled in his chair with his legs on the seat. From the back of the van the children passed up a soft, woollen blanket Jaya had spent three months knitting during her first pregnancy with Blaine; he ended up with a mild allergic reaction to wool, and they couldn't afford to lose their child, as he was autistic as well. He didn't use it. It had ended up a great laugh for the family, and still was.

Kanda slowly nodded off as well on Jaya's shoulder on the crook of her neck, his cap falling off and into Blaine's hands, who lay in his father's warm hold. Therefore, Blaine gradually ended up dozing off, too. It was a half hour more before they reached home, and the remaining, awake kids were given books to read or papers to draw on so they wouldn't awaken their sleeping family members.

Slow music played on the radio in the front— Lavi's favourite song, 'Groovy Kind of Love,' it was called. The kids were upset he was sleeping— they loved hearing him sing. He was a good singer but they laughed anyways. They just liked seeing him happy.

* * *

Because it had been a late flight, by the time Lavi and Kanda reached Jenny and Lavi's house they were almost sleeping in their food, jet lagged terribly. As dinner was set in front of the television (an amenity that Lavi sorely missed), the two soldiers made themselves comfortable on the two couches and dozed off again. They remained unperturbed by the loud sounds of enthusiastic children. Midnight neared, children retired into rooms— Blaine's first sleepover happened— and blankets were laid on husbands as the girls ended up sleeping side by side in the master bedroom, something they hasn't done since the age of sixteen. They talked, mainly about their own father who died as a US Marine in the '80s.

They checked up on his grave together every month, laying out new flowers. Roses were his favourite, yellow ones to be exact. When there were no yellow roses there were none at all. They stuck to favourites. On the headstone was written:

_US MARINE, 1970-1986_  
_MARCUS THANDOF_  
_1950-1986_  
_Most loved father, brother, and son._

Their mother, Regina, was a terrible person. She didn't know how to take care of her own children, and resolved to drugs and alcohol when her husband — who she didn't even love— died, leaving her to look after (poorly) her two six year olds. She lost custody of them three years later in 1989, when they turned nine, to Sergeant Holden Thandof, their dad's father. He introduced them to the best in the force, Captains Tiedoll and Cross, and Head Medic 'The Bookman'. The Bookman's grandson, Lavi was a year older than them; Kanda, Tiedoll's, two. After that, as army children, the five, Jaya, Jenny, Lavi, Allen and Kanda spent a lot if time together. They owed it to their grandpa for that one introduction twenty four years ago that lead to their marriages. At first, neither Jaya and Kanda, Jenny and Lavi did get along, all finding a home-base in Allen Walker, the youngest but most polite and friendly if them all, but soon the warmed up to each other and became good friends.

They supposed, they did owe this great life to the death of their father, not that they were happy about his passing. Funny how the universe always has something coming for you.

Jenny and Lavi dated for five years until a 'complete accident' got Lavi fathering the child she held in her womb. Sergeant Holden gave his granddaughter away proudly to a very grateful-not-to-be-punched Lavi. Jenny delivered at age 21.

Lavi and Jenny were already dating four years when Jaya shared her first kiss with Kanda. They were together for four years more before Kanda proposed. They had a child a year later— who ended up with an abnormal disability after Jaya's being involved in a real 'complete accident' involving three cars and a fire. Details were rough, but two of five passengers died that day.

The two talked about all this before gradually nodding off.

It was three o'clock when Kanda awoke, a pillow over his head and a warm blanket on top of him. Wait, was that a body...?! He remembered Blaine loved sleeping over him when he was scared. That started when Blaine was three.

_"Papa!" Blaine screamed from his room. Both parents rushed to the toddler's nursery, not knowing what to expect._

_As soon as Blaine had caught sight of his father, he leaped into his neck, escaping a 'monster' they later realised was a lizard. As Jaya lead it out of the house with a broom, Blaine fell asleep in his parents' bed. The said parents then proceeded to pesticide the nursery— where after no one could enter the room for the next three days— and soon after slept together, hand in hand on either side of their little baby. They woke with Blaine huddling over his dad, calling it a "blanket hug"._

_Blaine had fallen asleep right on top of him, under the blanket, scared of the Bookman family pet in the kids' room._

_Did I forget to mention that Blaine grew a phobia of big lizards? The Bookmans had a small baby crocodile in Henry's room, who had bunk beds to share with his cousin._

_Kanda held on to his little son, and with tenderness and love clung to him like he never wanted to let go. And he didn't. They fell asleep again. The next day was Father's Day._

When Cross received Allen's gift, he snorted in amusement and opened the bottle right away. "Fuck off to you too, kiddo. Little fucker." He took a swig from the bottle and mentally thanked the kid. Sweet Lord, it was the best wine he'd tasted in years! Bless the kid. Bless that little fucker and his cotton socks.

Tiedoll, on the other hand, received none but a brand new sketching pad with high quality charcoal pencils and chalk. Needless to say, the old man appreciated the gift to the depths of his heart, and decided to draw a picture right there and then. He began his work to capture the look of his beautiful son on paper so that even from miles apart, he could see his face. Bless the boy.

* * *

Early in the morning, it was only Jaya's kiss on his lips that woke him from slumber. "Hey," a warm smile danced upon her lips, her fingers already playing in his hair as she whispered close to his ear. She peered into the eyes that she missed.

"Aunt Jaya! Not on the couch!" Rowena laughed, carrying breakfast across the hall into the dining room.

"Dad!" Rowena called as she set the dish down. "Dad!" Her father still slept soundly on the couch. "Da-aa-aa-aad!" Rowena leaped on his couch, startling him awake. Her chin rest on his chest.

"'Morning Daddy. Mom wants you to know breakfast is ready~"

"Hmm?"

"Oh and, happy Father's Day!" She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I love you, babe."

Breakfast was to be served in ten minutes. Lavi had fallen asleep again on the couch within two, and Kanda had gone off into the shower, half brain-dead and jet-lagged. Jaya had already took out a set of clothes from Lavi's closet for him, in which he would also have to go to the hospital with. Damn, he didn't feel like leaving the house, he was so tired...

He walked into the bathroom just as his wife was applying the last of her makeup.

"Hey," she smiled at his reflection in the mirror. Damn. She was so beautiful already, why did she need makeup? He voiced this out loud, which only got him a kiss on the cheek. But later she said, "Makeup? It's for the illusion of vulnerability. That's why I never lose." She winked at him, pulling on her jacket.

"I'm going to the firm now." She told him as he took his shirt off. "I'll be back within an hour, just after I get an off for today and tomorrow, and then we'll leave for the hospital."

He nodded as he pulled his band out of his hair, and took the dogtag off. She saw it in his hand and smiled.

"If you give that to Blaine, he'll never take it off." She kissed his head once, and left.

With the metallic chain in hand, he almost smiled, and left the bathroom. Without a word, he slipped it over his son's head— who was eating— and returned to the shower he wanted to take. Blaine gasped and yelled, "Wow! Thank you Daddy!"

He told Rowena: "I'm never going to take this thing off!" Kanda smirked and shook his head.

Rowena smiled at her little cousin.

* * *

Three hours later found the Kandas and Bookmans waiting in the designated private room their family member was about to be brought into. After a successful surgery to remove the bullet and check on the stomach wound, Kanda was in a stable position. All in all, he had 32 stitches; not comfortable. He would be bed-ridden for the next three weeks probably, but knowing Kanda and his body's stubbornness to stay on his feet, he'd be out and about shooting people within the next two.

Oh... Wait... His hand was going to be temporarily paralysed. Fuck.

He wouldn't be able to shoot for at least another six months. Nor train. Nor fight. Damn it all.

As Kanda's unconscious, pale body was wheeled into the room, Lavi cheered exaggeratedly.

"He made it! Woohoo!"

"Lavi," Jaya said. "Shut up." Jenny continued.

"I'm offended." Lavi pouted. "Right here." He jabbed his chest over his heart —hard—and then half doubled over in the accidental self-inflicted pain. "Owwww," he groaned. Jenny and Jaya laughed.

"Why are... you people laughing, you're giving me a fu—flipping headache."

"Daddy!"

"Blaine, don't jump on him—"

"I wasn't gonna—!"

"Bah, Jaya, let the kid—"

"Yuu, no."

"What? He's harmless!"

"Just— no."

"You know, kid. You still owe me that teddy-bear-fluffy-turning hug."

"Awwww Lord save me, Kanda Yuu just said the word teddy bear~~~" Lavi cooed in a high-pitched squeal. This only earned him a glare, And his kids and wife stared at him.

"What?" He shrugged. "He said 'teddy bear'!"

Blaine did hug his father, after climbing onto the bed, of course. During this, Lavi hugged his own kids, close to crying again. "Aww Daddy! Don't cry!" Rowena said, hugging him back tighter.

"TEDDY BEAR FLUUUUUFF!" Blaine let out.

Both families laughed— except Kanda. He just smiled.

* * *

Lavi got back to arranging Bookman's scripts and books. As they sometimes did, Rowena and Henry silently played on their respective phone and PSP. They were obedient kids who respected his work, and his commitment to it.

After a four hour Lavi-based Star Trek movie marathon in Kanda's hospital room, Jenny had decided they probably should leave— after the nurse asked them to kindly three times. They retired to their home, which was when Lavi decided to get down to Bookman business.

An hour of pure work later:

"GAAAH! Jenny?!"

Rowena and Henry looked up from their consoles, startled at the random outburst.

"What is it, Daddy?" Rowena asked, as their mother easy home. Was there a bug on the study table? Because if there was she was going to run so fast—

"I can't find the Ancient Rome files! I swear if the old man was here he'd kill me—"

"Dad."

"What?" The nervousness was evident in his voice.

"The files are in this box here."

"... What?"

"They're here Daddy." Rowena held up the heavy files like a boom box.

Confusion found itself on his Lavi's face. "I didn't see that."

"Yeah, obviously" she smirked. "Well they say genius skips a generation."

"Well, apparently so does funny."

Rowena stuck out her tongue. So did her father.

* * *

After Lavi had left, Kanda wanted to put some real TV on, but, as we all know, hospital television sucks.

Kanda Yuu, of course, was bored. Having the Rabbit and his annoying clan over was annoying, sure, but at least it was the least bit entertaining. Just a tiny bit.

Now Jaya just sat on the provided chair with her Blackberry, typing away to her personal assistant about changes in plans, and was also on the phone with her client, a rape victim, on the iPhone.

"So, Blaine. What do you want to do?"

The words made startled Blaine, because the room had been deadly quiet for the past ten minutes.

"I don't know. Gimme a sec, I'll tell you though."

Kanda raised an eyebrow.

Damn it, he was bored.

"Mum, can I use your phone?" Jaya shot him an annoyed look, fingers stopping over the keyboard for a second before proceeding to throw him his father's mobile device. "Or Dad's. Whatever."

Blaine quickly typed in a few words in the Google search bar, laughing slightly as he came across a website.

"50 things to do when you're bored." He read slowly. Being autistic, he was much far behind than any child his age, so reading was still a struggle. **{50 things to do when you're bored. Link: /2011/01/ 50-things-to-do-when-you're-bored-at-home /}**

"50 Things to Do When You're Bored at Home," Kanda read aloud.

"Try to climb through all the rooms in your home without touching the floor—Find undiscovered tribes using Google Earth—Shave your pets—Knock down all the interior walls of your home, creating one large empty space. Once done, sit in the middle of the giant room and contemplate your life—  
Start a free blog on WordPress or Blogger and tell the world about all your weird and dirty secrets—Email an ex girlfriend or boyfriend and apologise for hurting them even though it's a complete lie—"

Jaya glanced up.

"Read a book. Use your time to learn something, for God's sake—Create an upside-down room. Choose a room and take a few photos of it. Then, invert the entire room by sticking all of the things on the floor up on the ceiling and vice versa. Don't forget to invert any framed pictures. You will need a drill, nails and lots of glue —Join the Church of Satan—Get drunk and forget—Try to head butt the ceiling—" Kanda stopped; Jaya was staring at them through her two conversations.

"Blaine," he asked. "What is this?"

Blaine laughed uncharacteristically. "I don't know, keep reading."

"Make a nest and hibernate until something interesting happens— I might just take up on that one—  
Become invisible— Shave your head and reinvent yourself—Pretend you're a construction worker and shout lewd comments at strangers as they walk past your house. If they respond or look flattered, invite them in for "coffee"."

Kanda threw the phone in Jaya's direction; he wasn't reading the next ones out loud. She caught it in her free hand, storing it in her bag pocket. She stared at her husband, amused, as their child didn't even realise he was listening to dirty things. "Not for your age, kiddo." Jaya said when Blaine gave them a confused look.

"Okay, babe, just gimme a big fat hug." Kanda spread his arm apart from the other, letting his son hold on to him as he thought of something else to do that didn't involve using the dirty-minded Internet.

Luckily, Jaya thought it wise to phone her sister to come pick Blaine up— who going to do so soon. The boy didn't want to leave his father's side (he especially enjoyed playing with the controls of Kanda's bed, which made it go up… Down… Up… Down… Up… Down— )

"Blaine stop, you'll hurt your father."

"No he won't—"

"I'm here!" Jenny announced as she burst through the door, in a very lively voice, plopping down with a Starbucks bag into a chair. She had just gotten back from the studio after teaching Ms Britney Spears some actual dance moves for an upcoming music video when she got the call. She knew her kids at home were bored and would enjoy the company. She also was well aware of the conversation Jaya needed to have with her husband. Naturally, she agreed to it, and now here she was.

"Come on, Blainey! Let's go to my house!" Because she knew that autistic children resented physical touch, she let her nephew hold on go her blouse as they walked. Thankfully, Blaine hadn't decided to make a scene, as he hardly was ever at the Bookman household, and he liked it there.

As quickly as she came, Jenny left. There was a silence between both husband and wife, and to break it Jaya asked, "How are you?"

Kanda shrugged with his one mobile arm, closing his eyes with his head resting against the pillow. "Can you put the bed back down?"

Jaya snorted and nodded. Trying to operate the device properly, she managed to decrease the steepness of the peculiar angle the bed was in. "Was it hurting?" She asked, and he nodded silently.

"Do you think you might have cracked open a stitch or two?"; He shrugged— with one arm.

"Let me check."; he nodded.

Because Kanda was Kanda, he had remained stubborn and refused to wear flimsy, useless hospital clothes. The ones he had on now were old, which they were going to throw away on the occasion they got bloodied or ruined. Trailing her arm up his shirt, she felt gingerly for the bandages covering his stitches. They were slightly sodden, and when she was going to retract her hand she expected the worst. Before she got to do that, though, a voice came from the doorway; "Sure... Stick your hand riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight up his shirt," the voice had a devilish, cheeky smirk to it.

"Jenny!" Jaya screamed, mainly out of shock of the sudden voice. The hand that had touched flew to her heart, which beat rapidly. "Ugh," she then said, looking at the wet fingers. Instead of blood, though, her hand was coated in a thin layer of a clear liquid.

"Probably organ juice," Jenny said as she saw her sister's confused face. "It's organic. Organic juice." She laughed.

Blaine's eyes were opened wide, but Jaya comforted him quickly, saying it was just water, for the Lord's sake, and that his aunt was just being silly. She asked what her sister wanted.

"Yeah, so I just came back to ask of Blaine's allergic to anything, when I came across your little intimate love scene—"

"And couldn't resist a statement, obviously—"

"— so I'm wondering if I should leave, not to interrupt the honeymoon any further—"

"—thank you very much, for that hint of consideration—"

"—so is he allergic to something—"

"No. Get out Jen."

"Whatever you say, sis. Whatever you say. Next time... I suggest you lock the door—"

"Out," Jaya managed through a small laugh, pointing at the door.

As they left, Jaya looked at her husband of eight years very sternly and seriously. Kanda expected that she burst out laughing trying to uphold the solemn face, but she didn't.

"What is this?" She held up her fingers, near to disgust at the liquid.

"No idea. Probably organ juice—"

If Kanda ever laughed, this would be the moment he would. The look on his wife's face was priceless. It was a mix of humour, agitation, and upmost seriousness. "Honestly?"

He only shrugged.

Because Jaya was a lawyer, she usually cut to the chase. She didn't beat around the bush too much, so she got to the question she wanted to ask:

"Kanda... The captain ...?" She let the sentence trail, not wanting to push the limit.

"Tell me." He said, telling her it was okay to say whatever shot as wanted, as he usually allowed her to do. He'd let her rant off all her 99 problems of the world, and he'd always find a solution for her, even if it was as temporary as a simple warm hug from his part. That's what first made them such best friends, he shut up AND listened AND gave her solutions. Seriously, he was the best husband ever.

"He's... Been arrested and kicked off the squad—"

"Serves the bastard right—"

"But authorities would like to know exactly what happened that night, and why he did what he did. I was on the phone with them recently; they'll allow me to take notes in the stead, as I'm trustable enough to not change the words around. What was Mr. Douglas's motive toward the killing of young Alia Hanadani, if you have a clue?"

"Are you going to go all lawyer on me?"

"Yes. Answer the question."

"He always cursed the Afghans and Muslims, blaming them for the death of his son in the 9/11 attack."

"Oh." —she had reverted back to the supportive wife for a little while.

"Yeah."

"That's stupid."

"Yeah."

And back to lawyer mode: "Did you know that ninety percent of Afghans do not even know about the 9/11 attack?"

"No."

"Well you know now."

"Hey, don't yell at me," he said defensively. Jaya put her hands up in a surrender, and continued, "Kanda, I need you to tell me exactly what happened that night, the way you remember it."

"Jaya this is boring."

"I know. Answer the question."

"It was instinct when I thought I should turn back, but I hear the kid scream, I went into the tent, and the dumbass was holding—"

"Kanda, talk properly."

"—Fine! The captain was holding the girl by the arms with a gun aimed at her freaking face, about to kill her in front of her own, helpless father—"

"Calm down Kanda. I-it's fine." She stammered slightly, worried his anger might cause a shift in his stitches, trying quickly to change the subject for that same reason.

He didn't seem to listen, "—while her own father could do nothing but STAND THERE and watch as his DAUGHTER; his child,"

"Yuu, stop talking so loudly."

"— be gut by a bullet of a gun, and know he could have done nothing? Isn't that sick?"

"Kanda SHUT UP!"; he did.

"I need you to tell me what happened after that— can you?"

"He shot me. The end."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Try to guess."

"To get rid of me?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "But there's going to be a lawsuit filed against you—"

"WHAT?!"

"For what your former captain called 'public defamation'."

"It's not public defamation, it's the truth!"

"So, anyways, their will be a trial for the girl, but he may sue you for the defamation mishap."

"I didn't do anything remotely wrong—"

"I know. But during this trial, I'm going to be your lawyer, unless you choose someone else. And after this captain got fired— guess what!"

Kanda didn't seem to be in the right mood to guess.

"They've made you First Lieutenant!"

There was a short silence.

"Fuck them."

"Kanda!"

"What? I'm not complaining!"

"It sounds like you are!"

"Fucking First Lieutenant?"

"Yep. There's an honorary council meeting, and you'll be receiving a badge for your services to your country next month."

"I don't want to go."

"I know. But you have to."

"I know."

There was a long, comfortable silence, letting both spouse rest in the peace of knowing their family was reunited. When he silence began to grow awkward, Jaya decided to talk, and tell her husband of the days when they missed him too much to ignore. She told him of how Blaine sat and sometimes fell asleep beside the large army portrait of him when he thought she wasn't looking or was too busy to see. How sometimes she did too. Once again, being such a marvellous person, Kanda only listened and waited for her short tale to end. It didn't; rather, she started crying. Usually, he wouldn't say anything, and just held her as she cried when she did— it proved much more effective the solution when he held her, cuddled into her, or slept with her in his arms rather than wasting breath in speech. They were a couple that didn't need words. Sometimes, that was what saved their relationship, as both were crude and witty in words. They needn't talk though. They understood.

Now, she cried, and he couldn't hold her. That brought him guilt.

So he let her just hold on to his leg, her face resting on his raised knee comfortably.

An then, silence returned. Silent tears, conversations, and comfortability. But they were one with that.

* * *

When Jenny returned with Blaine, the house was a growing commotion. With Henry riding on his father's back, Rowena throwing potato chips for Henry to catch in his mouth, and music blaring through the speakers, the house was nearing a big mess.

"Uncle Lavi!" Jenny yelled, pointing to their nephew.

Seeing him Lavi brogues violently, knocking his son onto a sofa to make space for Blaine, insisting he climb onto his back. When he did, Lavi neighed again —softly— and galloped ferociously into the woods (made out of green and brown pillows from the master bedroom. Thankfully, Blaine didn't pull on his hair like Henry did, and instead his shirt— choking him. He suddenly wasn't so grateful. But hey, they were his kids. He even considered Blaine his child, Kanda his brother and Jaya his own sister. They worked well as the one small family they were, as the rest of their loved ones had either abandoned them or were dead. Thanksgiving was hilarious, Christmas the most special, and birthdays treasures. Easter was fun, cousins day lively, New Years celebratory, and life wit these people... Just life with them was fucking great, even when most of his year was spent away to other countries. But it was moments like this when he truly treasured his life. Remembering he was a doting husband, a true brother, a great Bookman, a good son, with these brothers and sisters, and all their kids, and knowing he and Kanda were these kids' fathers. And that, truly, was the best honour and pride.

* * *

**Hey guys! Today is four long days after Father's Day on June 16th, and I deeply apologise for those who were waiting for this chapter. Life has been hectic, though, as I was packing rapidly for my imminent three month trip to Canadiaaaaa! Goodness, I treasure that place! As I will be continually travelling in between Toronto and four of America's states, I will not have much time to write and update the next chapter, July, for the Fourth of July, and I will find something to do about August. If you have any good suggestions for August, be my guest to leave them below in the reviews. Mwah mwah, toodles! ;D****  
**

~Smile. It'll all be worth it in the end~

~BloodStainsOnMyKisses


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